When a sudden injury or illness strikes, deciding where to go for immediate medical care can be stressful and confusing. Often, a hospital emergency department comes to mind first, but depending on the circumstance, there are a number of additional acute care options to consider.

Emergency Departments have the capability to provide the highest level of acute care and may be the right choice in many situations. Here are some tips to help you decide when a visit to the emergency department is necessary and when to consider other options. There are some clear indicators for an emergency department visit. Here’s a good general rule of thumb: If you believe the person is at risk for permanent disability or could die, call 911 and seek care in an emergency department immediately. Generally speaking, some conditions that necessitate an emergency department visit include:

  • Chest pain
  • Trouble breathing
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Confusion
  • Facial droop (one side)
  • Sudden numbness/weakness (one arm or leg)
  • Sudden slurred speech
  • Seizure
  • Head injury
  • Child with inconsolable crying
  • Child hard to rouse from sleep

 

If the health issue doesn’t rise to the level of an emergency department visit, here are additional guidelines to help you obtain the right care at the right place and time.

Call Your Primary Care Doctor

He or she knows you and should be your first call for non-emergency care. During business hours, nurses can evaluate urgent calls, advise a course of action and connect you with your doctor if necessary. After hours, most clinics and doctors’ offices have answering services to handle urgent or unexpected medical care needs. Many primary care doctors add time in their weekly schedules for patients with acute, unexpected medical complaints. I encourage everyone to have a primary care doctor who knows you and your health conditions. Choose a provider where the nurses and physicians are available by phone 24 hours a day, year-round.

Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinics

These facilities can perform minor procedures like stitching cuts or taking X-rays. Urgent care might be your best option for abdominal pain, minor fractures, asthma attacks or wound care that could develop complications if you don’t receive care within 24 hours. Most urgent care centers are open later in the day and on weekends. Consider choosing a health care provider that has walk-in clinics in convenient locations for you. Retail health clinics, like the in-store FastCare® Clinics in some local Meijer stores, are a popular health care trend and offer another convenient option for basic medical care.

Virtual Clinic

With the popularity of mobile devices, virtual medical care is another growing trend. The Froedtert & MCW Virtual Clinic offers 24/7 access to a doctor from a phone, tablet or computer, no matter where you are. Ideal for non-emergency conditions such as flu, cold, fever, urinary tract infections or rash, our Virtual Clinic lets users speak directly with a board-certified family medicine provider. Patients can see the provider face-to-face on screen, and no prior appointment is necessary (wait time is 30 minutes or less). All visits are $49, and if a condition is deemed serious enough for an emergency department visit, your payment is refunded.

Learning the locations of medical facilities in your area before experiencing a health crisis will help you in case a crisis occurs. Familiarize yourself with the hospital emergency department where you live, work or spend time. Also, knowing the signs of true medical emergencies and staying up-to-date with physicals and screenings will help you avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency department. If you educate yourself about your health care options, you’ll be prepared if and when you need to act quickly.

Find the best care for you and your family.

Primary Care

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About the Author

Mark Lodes, MD is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics, and practices at the Plank Road Clinic in the Tosa Health Center in Wauwatosa, Wis. He has a particular interest in chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma. He also is president of Froedtert & MCW Community Physicians.

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