Page 9 - Valley Life & Health

THE MORNING CALL SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2019 9

he last time your car needed repairs, you symptoms); stitches; sprains; back pain; minor
went to a mechanic. The last time you fractures; headaches; allergies, allergic reactions
Tneeded a haircut, you went to a salon or or rashes; asthma-related symptoms; irritation,
to your neighborhood barber. When you need a and eye irritation, swelling or pain.
doctor, however, it’s not always a clear-cut choice It is important, however, to remember that
of what kind of care to seek out. urgent care centers are not equipped to handle
Do you go straight to an ER? Do you seek out emergency situations.
an urgent care center? Or do you try to book an “I was the director for an urgent care center,
appointment with your primary care physician, and I have seen many patients walk in there
hoping that they can squeeze you in over the where you have to either call an ambulance for
course of the next 24 hours? them or send them to the ER. The same thing
It all depends on the severity of your happens in outpatient settings, where patients
symptoms, and it’s important for you to walk in and they have chest pain, and then we’re
know what to do in all situations. Dr. Aparna running around trying to stabilize them and calling
Tamaskar, board-certified family medicine an ambulance,” says Dr. Tamaskar. “Urgent care
physician with Easton Hospital, says that it’s centers do have x-ray facilities and lab facilities,
important for patients to be able to recognize Photo courtesy of Easton Hospital and they can be a stepping stone in order to get
that some situations – such as a heart attack or Dr. Aparna Tamaskar, board-certified family the patient to the right place where the patient is
stroke – absolutely require Emergency Room medicine physician with Easton Hospital. supposed to be. They can help to streamline the
care, while symptoms indicating a less severe process and instead of a patient waiting around,
ailment can wait. they now have a path to follow.”
“If you have an emergency, go to the ER
because time is precious. For stroke and heart doctor knows your health history, including what When to go to an ER
attack victims, that first hour is so important. It’s medications you’re taking and what chronic Emergency rooms are designed to treat
what we call the ‘golden hour,’ and there could conditions you have dealt with, they and their urgent, life-threatening conditions and are not
be a lot of lives lost in this hour if patients don’t staff may also ultimately serve as a referral source the place for routine care or minor ailments.
go to the emergency room,” says Dr. Tamaskar. for other health care providers or specialists who Emergency conditions can include (but are not
“An urgent care facility or your primary care you would see for a new or ongoing condition. limited to): chest pain; difficulty breathing; stroke;
physician won’t always have the right equipment Making an appointment with your PCP can head trauma; trauma from a foreign object
to diagnose you, and won’t have the kinds of help you avoid the wait times typically found at entering the body; open wounds; fractures;
drugs that can help you in a heart attack or other alternatives such as an emergency room severe bleeding; loss of vision; abdominal pain;
stroke situation.” or urgent care center. Though it is not always a coughing or vomiting blood; and confusion or
Of course, in this current age of information guarantee that your PCP can see you the same day changes in mental status.
being available at our fingertips 24/7, anyone that you call for an appointment, Easton Hospital’s Easton Hospital has recently twice been
with a computer or smartphone is able to jump network of providers often have next-day and recognized for having the shortest ER wait times
online and self-diagnose. Unfortunately, because even same-day availability to see their patients as and has been recognized three years in a row
of blogs and crowd-source websites, information soon as possible. as the Morning Call Readers’ Choice for Best
that is out there about certain conditions may “In my case, I try to accommodate my patients Emergency Services. Their facility includes multi-
not always be accurate. Undoubtedly, one of as soon as possible because my patients are functional treatment rooms for patients with
the most common challenges for practitioners is very dear to me and they are like my extended varied conditions and they have been named a
working with their patients to make an efficient, family,” says Dr. Tamaskar. “I always make sure Designated Chest Pain Center with PCI by the
accurate and distinct diagnosis after a patient has that my staff is on top of their scheduling needs. Society of Chest Pain, and a Designated Primary
misinterpreted something they’ve read online. If my patient is sick but not at the level of an ER Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. Easton’s
This issue also often presents a double-edged visit – say, for a sore throat or for bronchitis – I ER is also geriatric-friendly.
sword. While self-diagnosis is not recommended prefer that they come to me instead of going to an “When it comes to the short wait times
over seeking appropriate medical attention, it is unknown urgent care. Even if I’m running a little at Easton Hospital’s ER, I would not call it
also associated with better patient compliance behind because I’ve booked many patients on that ‘rushing’ – I would call it ‘promptness,’” says
and self-care, and shows that a patient has a day, I’d rather compromise my own time than Dr. Tamaskar. “If the patient needs to be
desire to improve. However, it is important to compromise my patients’ health.” seen, you really need to be prompt and get
remember that a registered physician is the only the ball moving as quickly as possible. That is
person who can make an accurate diagnosis – When to go to an urgent care center something that is very important and is known
and that communication is the key to any good Urgent care centers have popped up all as ‘teamwork.’ If you have a good team in place,
doctor-patient relationship. over the place in recent years, and are ideal things move very fast.”
“Patients go online all the time and it’s if something happens outside of the normal
common practice nowadays. It’s a very common business hours of your PCP. Most urgent care
thing, and patients will look at all of the possible centers have later weekday hours and some
complications and scenarios and they will try to weekend hours when doctors’ offices are
self-treat or listen to what friends tell them,” says typically closed. When is it most appropriate, Easton Hospital
Dr. Tamaskar. “It’s not a good idea.” however, to visit an urgent care center as has been awarded
opposed to an ER? Best Emergency
When to see your primary care physician (PCP) Urgent care centers can provide Services three
Your primary care physician – the doctor comprehensive medical treatment for a wide
who is responsible for dealing with a majority variety of injuries and illnesses, such as: cuts and consecutive years
of your health care issues – should be your first scrapes; fevers; ear and sinus pain or pressure; by Readers’ Choice. 1 5th ANNIVERSARY
call in non-emergency situations. Because this cough and sore throat (or general cold or flu