Emergency room 30 minute
guarantee

NORFOLK, Va. - Emily Johnson doesn't mind waiting a few minutes for the city bus or even to see a doctor, but she says her last trip to an emergency room was ridiculous.

"They stuck me in the room for hours and I was screaming and finally somebody came and gave me a shot and that was all they did."

Emily's story is a familiar one around ERs across the country. Bon Secours Hampton Roads hopes a new 30 minute guarantee in all of its emergency rooms will be good for business and patients.

"We recognize this is our opportunity to make a good first impression with people because we realize the ER is often the front door of a hospital," said Corporate Communications Director Lynne Zultanky.

Bon Secours Harborview in Suffolk started making the promise nearly two years ago and reports success 99 percent of the time.

Spokeswoman Zultanky says the key is bedside computers, and new protocols which, in some cases, allow nurses to begin treatment.

"For instance if I were to walk in with a disfigured wrist the nurse now has protocols, so she would immediately ice my hand and send me off to radiology," said Zultanky

Of course, emergencies are unpredictable, so it won't work all the time and that's ok with Emily Johnson.

She's says the fact that Bon Secours is trying makes her happy.

Even better, if your treatment doesn't start in 30 minutes you'll get a written apology and a movie ticket, but Bon Secours doesn't plan on waiting in line at the box office.