How can I tell if an emergency department is well organized?

When you're checking out your local emergency departments to determine which ones would be the best choices, be a sharp detective and perform a little surveillance. Drive by the emergency department or poke your head in. Late in the evening or early in the morning is a good time (say, 11:00 PM or 7:00 AM). Don't swing by at 3:00 PM to check out the emergency department; every emergency department is at its best when doctor's offices are open and handling half of the would-be walk-ins.

As you scope out the scene, take stock of what you see. Is the line of victims snaking out the door and down the block? Are the ambulances honking furiously while bottlenecked in the driveway entrance? Look for clues of chaos and signs of organization; two emergency departments with similar credentials and capabilities may be wholly different when you show up at the door—and an emergency is a lousy time to learn that you picked the one that's a mess.