Emergency Chest Pain & Heart Center
One of the first Emergency Heart Centers in LA County.
The Emergency Medical Services of Los Angeles County has selected Northridge Hospital as one of the first Emergency Heart Centers in LA County. The designation as a SRC (STEMI Receiving Center) ensures the best possible survival from a heart attack through earlier definitive diagnosis and treatment. This new protocol is being watched by the nation as the new gold standard in heart care.
We also serve as a paramedic base station and are staffed with certified physicians and mobile intensive care nurses - nurses with special training in handling radio calls. These staff members communicate with paramedics in the field via continuous two-way radio contact, advising them on treatment and directing them to the appropriate medical facility.
Northridge Hospital is also an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics (EDAP). This special designation insures that we can provide emergency care to pediatric patients, because we meet specific requirements for professional staff, quality improvement, education, support services, equipment, supplies, medications, and established policies, procedures, and protocols.
The Emergency Room and Trauma Center is open 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week. The entrance is located off of Cantara Street, across from the main parking structure on Etiwanda Avenue. The phone number for emergency services is (818) 885-5396.
Trauma Center
We are a Level II Trauma Center equipped to provide the highest levels of emergency care to the most critically ill and injured patients. We have a designated surgical suite equipped just for trauma cases. Northridge Hospital is one of only two Trauma Centers in the San Fernando Valley.
We have invested in the most advanced diagnostic technology that offers clearer images in record speed. Our Trauma Center has round-the-clock access to this impressive diagnostic equipment, adding precious response time to the patient's medical needs within the life-saving timeframe.
The highly skilled Trauma Center first opened in July 1984 -- serving the community for nearly 22 years. While 11 trauma centers have closed their doors since the 1980's, Northridge Hospital's Trauma Center has remained open to serve the 1.9 million residents of this growing community.
One of Northridge Hospital's advanced technologies for severe traumas is the "cell saver" blood recovery system. The "cell saver" collects a patient's blood that is shed before or during surgery, and cleanses and recycles the elements of it back into the body during the surgery. This results in shorter surgery time, reduces the use of outside blood, and reduces the chance of blood-borne infections.
Stroke Theraphy
Expertise Coronary heart disease is America's No. 1 killer. Stroke is No. 3 and a leading cause of serious disability. That's why it is important to know the warning signs of a heart attack and the warning signs of a stroke. You need to respond quickly and properly if warning signs occur.
Northridge Hospital is part of the UCLA Stroke Network, and special procedures are in place for managing a patient with a possible stroke. We also review cases on an as-needed basis with an on-call physician at UCLA. The UCLA Stroke Center is a recognized leader in the treatment of stroke and is committed to research and advancements in stroke therapy.
Northridge Hospital is also participating in the Field Administration of Stroke Therapy-Magnesium (FAST-MAG), a pivotal trial of a new therapy for acute stroke led by the UCLA Stroke Center. The trial is performed in conjunction with paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department, as well as emergency physicians, neurologists, and nurses throughout Los Angeles County.
The FAST-MAG trial examines if magnesium sulfate can protect the threatened brain when administered to stroke victims within the first two hours of stroke onset. Magnesium sulfate works by dilating brain blood vessels and by preventing build-up of damaging calcium in injured nerve cells.
