Realizing the place to go when you have got a well being scare is significant to getting the care you want, while you want it. Choosing the proper place to go may even prevent money and time.

That’s why I used to be shocked not too long ago to be taught that the majority visits to the Emergency Room (ER) will not be, the truth is, emergencies. Based on CBS Information, the most common type of visit to the ER is one in every of average severity. (Suppose having a extreme cough or a fever increased than 100.5 levels Fahrenheit.) In North Carolina, one of these go to prices $1,589 on common.¹

That means, not solely are most visits to the ER pointless – they’re additionally very costly.

So, why are so many people heading to the ER? There are lots of causes. Maybe it’s after 5pm and the physician’s workplace is closed. Or the affected person lives in a rural space that suffers from a scarcity of major care physicians. Or it looks like the quickest option to obtain care. (It’s not, by the way in which. Sufferers in North Carolina can spend up to five hours within the emergency room earlier than being despatched house!)²

After which, after all, there’s confusion round what classifies as a well being emergency, when it’s applicable to make use of the ER, and the place to go in case your medical want is not an emergency. On this article, we’ll talk about a number of care choices – lots of that are open past enterprise hours – to remember throughout your subsequent well being scare.

Bear in mind, when you’re unsure the place to go, Blue Cross and Blue Protect of North Carolina members can at all times use our 24/7 nurse line, Well being Line Blue, for a second opinion. There isn’t any out-of-pocket value for calling Well being Line Blue.

If you’re a Wholesome Blue member, you even have entry to a 24/7 nursing line (however at a distinct cellphone quantity). Wholesome Blue’s nurse line helps you to speak with a registered nurse each time you have got well being questions or want medical recommendation. Be taught extra about where to get the care you need if you are a Healthy Blue member.

What’s as a Well being Emergency, Anyway?

Many instances we combine up “urgency” and “emergency” – that means, if we predict there’s an pressing cause to go to the doc, it looks like an emergency. And so, earlier than we even think about various choices, we could discover ourselves ready within the ER.

For this reason it’s vital to familiarize ourselves with the medical situations that classify as well being emergencies earlier than we now have a well being scare. Right here’s a listing of life-threatening emergencies that qualify for a visit to the ER:

• Lack of consciousness, together with fainting
• Sudden lack of imaginative and prescient, numbness, or issue talking
• Extreme hassle respiratory
• Extreme stomach ache
• Excessive fever with stiff neck, psychological confusion or issue respiratory
• Coughing up or vomiting blood
• Head trauma
• Seizures, convulsions
• Main damaged bones

A straightforward option to bear in mind when to go to the ER? If the well being scare is life-threatening, it’s time to go to the ER.

The place to Go When It’s Not Life or Dying

A damaged toe. A light bronchial asthma assault. A sprained ankle.

The entire above are definitely trigger for rapid concern. However fortunately, these and plenty of different pressing situations are thought-about minor to average by way of severity – which suggests it’s doable to hunt care at your major care doctor or at an pressing care middle. There are vital variations between the 2, which we’ll talk about beneath.

Minor Well being Points: Main Care Doctor (AKA your physician’s workplace)

There are many reasons to go to your major care doctor while you expertise a well being scare. First, and most significantly, she or he is aware of your private and household medical historical past. As well as, some medical doctors supply same-day appointments for pressing conditions, and the fee will typically be decrease than going to pressing care or the ER. Under are the well being situations that your physician might be able to deal with at his or her workplace.

• Sore or strep throat
• Urinary tract and bladder infections
• Earaches and ear infections
• Minor fevers
• Cough, colds and flu
• Nasal congestion
• Allergy signs
• Pores and skin points, together with rashes, ringworm and rooster pox
• Pink eye
• Head lice
• Insect bites
• Minor burns, cuts and scrapes
• Sprains and strains

Whereas this checklist doesn’t cowl the whole lot, it’s a very good start line for deciding the place to go when you’re experiencing a minor well being situation.

Average Well being Points: Pressing Care

Pressing care facilities have grown in recognition over the previous few years as a result of they provide sufferers rapid, handy medical care. This implies there’s no appointment essential – you’ll be able to stroll proper in. Most pressing care facilities additionally supply same-day appointments – so if you wish to keep away from spending additional time within the ready room, this can be a nice choice. They’re additionally open outdoors of typical enterprise hours (often, from 8am-8pm, though hours range by location).

The common cost for your visit will typically be about one-tenth of a visit to the ER.³

Under, you’ll discover the forms of well being points that pressing care facilities deal with. (It’s vital to notice that pressing care facilities additionally deal with all the minor well being points talked about above, as properly.)

• Migraines
• Extreme again ache
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Minor damaged bones (toe, foot, finger)
• Fevers
• Bronchial asthma assaults (delicate to average)
• Extreme cough
• Eye irritation
• Pinworms
• Minor reactions to medicines (itchiness, pores and skin rash, hives)
• Animal bites
• Wounds requiring stitches

North Carolina now has pressing well being facilities in practically each city. You’ll find an pressing care middle close to you by searching here.

When you’re nonetheless not sure of the place to go for a given medical situation or an sudden well being scare, our members can at all times use our 24/7 nurse line, Well being Line Blue, for recommendation. An important takeaway is that you’ve choices on the subject of your well being care – and it can save you money and time by figuring out the place to go.