Know where to go for medical concerns

As we know all too well, life happens. Sometimes, the body feels great, and an injury or illness appears out of nowhere. A child falls and sprains an ankle while playing at the park. A bug comes around, causing fever, coughing and more. It can be tough to determine where to go for medical care when symptoms feel unbearable, especially when one’s primary care provider isn’t available.

With seasonal viruses such COVID-19, the flu and RSV surging across the United States, experts stress the importance of knowing where to go to see a healthcare provider.

Here are some key differences to help make the decision.

What to expect in the Emergency Department

Emergency Departments are designed to assist patients experiencing life-threatening medical situations. When patients arrive at the Emergency Department at any UHS hospital, a triage nurse will assess their condition. Although they are open 24/7, wait times vary because healthcare staff need to treat the most seriously ill and injured patients first.

An Emergency Department visit should be for life-threatening illnesses or injuries, such as stroke or heart attack symptoms, an allergic reaction that causes difficulty breathing or swallowing, a compound fracture, seizures, a severe asthma attack, severe burns, a concussion with loss of consciousness, a temperature over 101 in a child under three months old, or a fever of 105 or higher in anyone else.

What to expect at a Walk-In Center

UHS Walk-In Centers are created to provide patients with immediate care for situations that cannot wait for a scheduled doctor’s appointment. Providers at UHS Walk-In Centers specialize in offering immediate care for acute complaints that need prompt attention but are not an emergency, such as cuts, coughs, some fevers, vomiting, flu or ear infections.

What to expect during a virtual walk-in visit

Virtual walk-in visits are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Patients using the virtual walk-in receive care from the same family medicine physicians, physician assistants or nurse practitioners who conduct in-person visits at UHS walk-in locations.

To start a virtual visit, go to the virtual health section of the UHS website and select “Virtual Walk-In.” The system will prompt patients to create an account. The process takes about three minutes, and a person does not have to be a current UHS patient. Then, patients will be asked to choose from a list of conditions that can effectively be diagnosed virtually. If the condition cannot be diagnosed virtually, the platform will refer patients for an in-person visit.

Current UHS patients who are unsure about doing a virtual visit can call their provider’s office to request a scheduled video visit to determine if it’s appropriate. Those who are not current patients should schedule a virtual visit. The provider will either address the concern or make a referral for in-person care, with no charge for the virtual visit. Plus, unlike many health systems that require a credit card payment up front, UHS will submit to insurance for a virtual visit.

For more information, visit www.nyuhs.org.