Like so many other parts of the hospital, the Emergency Department is far more sophisticated than one might expect. One of Colorado's first level III trauma centers, it boasts a state-of-the-art trauma room with the latest in technology. A hospital-based county ambulance service provides pre-hospital care, and board-certified emergency physicians are available and in the hospital 24 hours a day. Registered nursing staff hold certifications in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS), and pediatric and adult trauma nursing. In the event transfer to another facility is required, an FAA-approved helipad is on the hospital campus. Diagnostic imaging capabilities for the emergency patient include MRI and CT scanning, ultra-sound, nuclear medicine, x-ray, and fluoroscopy. A digital network allows immediate access to 40 off-site radiology specialists in Denver. There are 16 patient beds in the department, with five of the beds in private exam rooms. On call every day of the week are specialists in family practice or internal medicine, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, radiology, general surgery, and anesthesiology.   Admission into the emergency department is done at the bedside. There's no standing at an admissions desk to provide insurance and other personal information at a time when medical attention is the first priority. Our goal is to keep our patients as comfortable and at ease as is possible, right from the start. A private waiting area adjacent to the emergency department allows family and friends to wait in a comfortable environment close to their loved one.