In an Emergency, Close Care Matters

For three years, Kayla McDonald had episodes where her heart rate spiked to roughly 200 beats per minute. But every time she went to the emergency room, physicians said her heart wasn’t the problem.

“The first time it happened in Panama City, they said I was too young for a heart condition. Without doing an EKG or anything, they just told me I was having a panic attack,” says the 25-year-old. “The second time, they didn’t take me seriously either. And after that, I felt bad even calling 911 or calling to ask for help.”

That changed once Kayla moved to the Tampa Bay area. During another event in November 2025, emergency room physicians diagnosed her with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a common condition that causes fast, irregular heartbeats, chest pain and light-headedness.

The next time Kayla’s SVT hit, she went to the emergency room at AdventHealth Riverview and knew immediately that she’d found a healthcare home.

Supportive Environment, Prompt Care

Kayla’s experience in the AdventHealth Riverview emergency room was unlike other facilities.

“From the moment I got there, it felt so much more family-friendly compared to other hospitals I’ve been to that felt so ‘hospital-y,’” she shares. “I decided then that every time I had an episode at home, I was going to ask 911 services if they could take me to AdventHealth.”

Her visits were sometimes as frequent as three times per week, each one a quick stop for an adenosine injection to safely slow her heart rate. Before long, her physicians and nurses knew her by name and prepared her treatment in advance, keeping each visit to twenty minutes or less. In May, she underwent a cardiac ablation that ultimately cured her SVT.

“They did everything they could for me very quickly and went the extra mile to fix my heart rhythm. They knew I didn’t want to be there, so they did their best to get me in and out immediately,” Kayla explains. “It meant so much that they knew me. I got anxious with every episode, but they were very calming and caring. They never made me feel bad about coming in for help.”

Complete Care Close to Home

The heart-focused treatment Kayla received is just one area of emergency care AdventHealth Riverview provides. Patients in the community can find a wide range of emergency services all under one roof within a few miles of home. Their experts are delivering leading-edge care for the following urgent or life-threatening conditions:

• Complicated fractures
• Head injuries
• Poisoning
• Severe allergic reactions
• Severe breathing problems
• Significant burns
• Suspected stroke
• Vomiting or coughing up blood

Even in a fast-paced environment, the AdventHealth emergency care teams invest time needed to deliver personalized care. When you come in, they ask questions about your illness or injury. The goal is to make sure you get the right treatment as quickly as possible.

Convenient Care With a Shorter Wait Time

Delivering quick, accessible treatment is a priority at AdventHealth. They also offer three ways to find complete care when you have a non-life-threatening illness or injury that still needs care fast.

• InQuickER: This online system lets you schedule a treatment time in the emergency room. Instead of coming directly to the hospital, you wait at home until your reserved treatment time. This way, you spend more time in the comfort of your home and less time in the waiting room.
• Virtual care: Some health problems don’t require an in-person visit. You can request an online visit with a physician or nurse practitioner for any of these issues:
  • Bronchitis, colds, cough or flu
  • Lower-back pain
  • Pink eye
  • Seasonal allergies
  • Sinus and upper-respiratory infections
  • Skin conditions
  • Urinary tract infections

Appointments can be made Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 5 pm. You don’t need an appointment for a virtual care visit, but you will need to download the app via the Apple App Store or Google Play.

• AdventHealth Primary Care+ at Walgreens: If you prefer an in-person visit — but want to avoid the emergency room — you can find our clinics throughout the Tampa Bay area. These locations are open seven days a week. To see one of AdventHealth’s expert primary care providers, you can schedule a same-day or next-day appointment or walk in. You can seek care in these clinics for:
  • Bug bites, bee stings and head lice
  • Cold and flu
  • Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Minor burns, sprains and strains
  • Seasonal allergies and allergic reactions (like poison ivy or poison oak)
  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Urinary tract infections

Emergency Care Nearby That Treats the Whole You

Emergency care and timely treatment matter when you have an illness or injury that needs immediate medical attention. According to Kayla, the specially trained physicians and care teams at AdventHealth deliver advanced services in a compassionate way so you feel seen, heard and informed.

“The doctors and nurses at AdventHealth communicate with you,” she says. “Someone is always with you when you’re there, so you know they care.”