![]() ![]() “Ideally, care is best managed by the primary care doctor – especially ongoing medical problems,” Stewart said. James Stewart, Windber’s medical director of the emergency department. Neither the emergency room nor an urgent care center is a substitute for the primary care doctor, said Dr. “These people need urgent diagnostic studies and intervention,” Csikos said. Severe chest pain and difficulty breathing are symptoms of a heart attack that can be treated in the hospital catheterization lab, after emergency room treatment. Specifically, Csikos lists acute onset of weakness, paralysis on one side, slurred speech, and difficulty talking as signs of a stroke that can best be treated with blood-clot busters in the hospital emergency department. You have those diagnostic studies right at your fingertips.” “It’s for those cases where time is of the essence. “What I used to send to the ER would be what I called the ABCs: airways, breathing and circulation,” he said, adding that acute pain and serious injuries are also emergency medical issues. David Csikos, vice president for medical affairs at Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber, said he used a few simple rules for helping his private practice patients decide if they should go to the emergency department. Other urgent care centers include iCare Medical centers at 167 Zeman Drive, off Route 22 in Ebensburg, and 100 Susan Drive, off Menoher Boulevard in Westmont and Conemaugh’s MedWELL urgent care centers at 1450 Scalp Ave., and at 236 Jamesway Road, off Route 22 in Ebensburg. Plank Road in Altoona and 2128 Oakland Ave. ![]() MedExpress operates urgent care centers at 1221 Scalp Ave. Lacerations that might need stitches, sprains and other minor injuries can be seen at the urgent care centers, too, Taranath added. “Any of the common illnesses that one might incur, urgent care center is a great alternative for that.” “Urgent care is for episodic illness and injury on the day-to-day basis that doesn’t rise to the level of being life threatening,” Taranath said. Injuries from traumatic events such as traffic accidents and falls should be evaluated in the emergency department, even if they may not seem so bad, he added. “What people should go to the emergency room for is life-threatening illness and trauma,” Burwell said, listing symptoms of heart attack and stroke, severe unrelenting pain and “bodily functions no longer working.” Without insurance, emergency room bills can soar into the thousands, while MedExpress bills usually top out around $200 or $300, he said. At the urgent care center it might be $35 or $50.” “If you go to the ER, you could wait several hours before even being seen,” he said “If you have insurance, the emergency room co-pay can be $100 to $200. Dheeraj Taranath, MedExpress regional medical director. The emergency departments triage cases, taking the most acute illnesses and injuries first, said Dr. But coming to the hospital for something that could be treated at a lower-level facility may mean longer waits and higher out-of-pocket costs, Burwell said. “In the same vein, we don’t want to discourage people from seeking life-saving treatment in the emergency room or trauma center.”Īll of the region’s hospitals have emergency departments, which are required by law to treat all patients. “Medical costs and insurance costs are skyrocketing some of those costs are associated with going to the wrong level of care. Dave Burwell, chief medical information officer, said from UPMC Altoona. “It is really important to go to the right level of care,” Dr. In these situations, there may be uncertainty about where to go for care.Įxperts admit there are no clear guidelines, but knowing the differences between urgent care centers, emergency departments and walk-in clinics can save time and money, or even be lifesaving. Your toddler starts throwing up, or Grandma is having trouble speaking. That pain in your belly you’ve been trying to ignore gets worse, doubling you over. You slipped on the ice and now your wrist is swelling and it hurts. ![]()
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