Orlando emergency department receives prestigious award for exceptional care

AdventHealth Orlando's emergency department has been recognized for its exceptional practice and innovative performance with the prestigious 2024 Lantern Award from the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA).

The Lantern Award is a symbol of an emergency department's commitment to quality, safety, and a healthy work environment. [JG1] AdventHealth Orlando is among 94 emergency departments across the United States to receive this honor from the ENA.

The award is named for Florence Nightingale – “The Lady with the Lamp” – who famously carried a lantern of hope while she cared for wounded soldiers in the Crimean War.

“This award is a recognition of the commitment to our community to provide whole-person care 24/7 when Central Florida residents need it most,” said Rob Deininger, CEO of AdventHealth Orlando. “The emergency department is oftentimes the first interaction people have with our brand of uncommon compassion on their way to the state-of-the-art care we provide at AdventHealth Orlando, so I applaud the team’s hard work in delivering on that every day.”

AdventHealth Orlando’s emergency room is one of the largest comprehensive ERs in the United States. The 62,000 square-foot facility is capable of caring for 90,000 patients a year – including thoracic and general surgery, orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery, cardiology, pediatrics and internal medicine. The ER is also the frontline of AdventHealth Orlando’s comprehensive stroke center and home to programs like “Bed Traffic Control” (BTC). AdventHealth Orlando ED nurses created and staff the innovative BTC system which is similar to ground traffic control at an airport. Nurse managers use AI, computer tracking and live communications to centralize the intake process and get patients seen faster.

AdventHealth’s 11 hospital-based and nine off-site ERs across Central Florida treat nearly 600,000 patients every year, or almost twice the population of Orlando. One in every four Central Florida residents visits an AdventHealth ER every year.