When You Arrive
Helena Hospital treats every patient who comes to our Emergency Department in accordance with EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) guidelines, as required by federal law. That means regardless of your insurance status or ability to pay, you will receive a medical screening and stabilizing treatment.
When you arrive, our team will check you in, assess your condition, and begin care as quickly as possible. Patients are treated in order of medical need — not in order of arrival — so the sickest patients are seen first. If you have to wait, know that our team is working hard behind the scenes to care for every patient safely and thoroughly.
Equipped, Ready, and Connected
As a Rural Emergency Hospital, we are equipped to treat and stabilize a wide range of emergency conditions — and connected to regional specialty networks when advanced care is needed.
- 24/7 emergency care with on-site physician coverage
- Treatment and stabilization of all emergency situations
- Short-term observation care for up to 48 hours — allowing many patients to be treated locally rather than transferred
- Participation in the Arkansas Stroke Program (ArSaves) for rapid stroke assessment and treatment
- Participation in the Arkansas Statewide STEMI Program for heart attack response
- Transfer coordination with regional medical centers when advanced or specialty care is needed
- All staff trained in Emergency Preparedness
What Is a Rural Emergency Hospital?
In December 2023, Helena Hospital became a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) — an innovative federal designation created by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) specifically to help small communities keep essential healthcare services close to home.
The REH model was designed to prevent hospital closures in rural areas by offering enhanced Medicare payments and aligning outpatient services with the real healthcare needs of the community. For Helena Hospital, this means we continue to provide 24/7 emergency care, outpatient testing, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and short-term observation — through a model built to last.
What this means for you: when you need emergency care, you don’t have to drive an hour or more to a larger hospital. You get the same rapid response, the same stabilizing care, and the same connection to advanced specialty networks — right here at home.
When You Visit the Emergency Department
To help us serve you as quickly as possible, please bring the following if you are able.
- A valid photo ID
- Your insurance card and information
- Any required copayments as specified by your insurance plan
- A list of your current medications, including dosages
- Information about any known allergies or past medical conditions
In a true emergency, do not delay seeking care to gather these items. Our registration team will work with you once you arrive.
Contact & Location
For life-threatening emergencies, always call 911.