EAMC Emergency Department Listed Among Top in the Nation

The Emergency Department at East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) has been recognized by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) with a 2025 Lantern Award, the highest honor given by the organization. 

The EAMC Emergency Department was one of only 96 emergency departments in the nation to be selected, and just one of two in Alabama. The Lantern Award recognizes emergency departments that demonstrate exceptional and innovative leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research. 

“Receiving the Lantern Award is a reflection of our team’s unwavering commitment to excellence in emergency care,” said Laura Grill, president and CEO of East Alabama Health. “It validates the innovation, compassion and professionalism that defines our emergency department physicians and staff.”

The EAMC Emergency Department cares for approximately 42,000 patients each year. Patients seen range from those facing life-threatening conditions to those with minor injuries, highlighting the department’s vital role in the health of the region. Staffed around the clock by experienced physicians, nurses and support personnel, the department is equipped to respond swiftly to a wide variety of emergencies.

“I am proud to be a part of an Emergency Department that has worked for years to improve patient care for those in our community who most need expert medical care and advanced treatment at all hours of the day and night,” said Alan Moore, M.D., medical director of EAMC's Emergency Department. 

“The Lantern Award recognizes the success we have had, and is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of the nurses, staff and administration of East Alabama Health.”

The Emergency Department at EAMC is a Level III Trauma Center and Level II Primary Stroke Center. In addition, it holds multiple national quality awards for stroke, diabetes, and sepsis care, and serves as a designated Sexual Assault Treatment Center. The department also leads efforts to reduce mental health stigma and opioid-related deaths.

The department uses a five-level triage system to assess patients upon arrival, ensuring that those with life-threatening conditions are treated without delay. For patients with minor illnesses or injuries, a designated rapid-treatment area with six exam chairs provides quick, high-quality care in a more efficient setting. This approach preserves traditional ED rooms for those needing more urgent treatment, helping to reduce waiting times and improve overall flow. 

“I am so proud of our ED team’s commitment to our community through emergency services excellence,” said Amy Brandon, executive director of EAMC’s Emergency Department. “I hope that our patients and their families will be proud that their community ED is a national leader in emergency care, and that they trust us to be there for them when they need us for high-quality, compassionate emergency care.”

As more and more families choose to live in east Alabama, the demand for emergency medical services has grown exponentially. In addition to EAMC, East Alabama Health offers emergency services facilities at the Emergency Department at EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley (which sees approximately 15,000 patients annually), and at a freestanding emergency department in Auburn (which sees approximately 24,000 patients annually).

With the Lantern Award designation, the Emergency Department at EAMC reaffirms its commitment to delivering cutting-edge, compassionate emergency care to the growing east Alabama community. East Alabama Health continues to invest in people, innovation and infrastructure to meet the region’s evolving health care needs.

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About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed regional referral hospital that is currently under construction to add 30 critical care beds. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org.