Since 1969, when it became the first hospital in the United States to dedicate a staff exclusively to emergency care, North Oakland Medical Centers has placed a priority on emergency services. The main campus’ state-of-the-art Emergency Center is prepared to handle all medical emergencies. The hospital’s Surgical Department is available 24 hours a day, if needed. The Emergency Center’s friendly, experienced physicians, nurses and technicians treat patients quickly; the average length-of-stay at NOMC Emergency is below the national average. At the main campus and in the 24-hour walk-in emergency care center at the Waterford Ambulatory Care center, minor emergencies are treated quickly. In the main campus Emergency Center, a special Rapid Care program has been established to separate the minor illnesses and injuries from the mainstream emergency patients. Open 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. every day, Rapid Care provides fast treatment of minor injuries and illness such as strains and sprains, earaches, insect bites, minor burns and cuts and the flu. Rapid Care patients are usually treated and discharged within one hour. At the Waterford Ambulatory Care Center, the majority of patients are less acutely ill, and are quickly processed through the system.