Written by Dr Aisha Harris
A medical emergency is a medical emergency. BUT is everything a medical emergency?
Many people complain about wait times in the hospital emergency rooms. Some have waited hours or even days to be seen by a medical doctor. While others are seen very quickly and medically evaluated as soon as possible to determine the cause of the problem and prevent further complications.
But is that fair?
It is important to recognize the different levels of care that are present in different health facilities. Knowing the difference between emergency rooms, urgent care offices and primary care offices can save lives, save time, and better utilize the health system. Every place has a roll in the web of logistics when it comes to health navigation. The better residents and patients utilize these facilities, the better health outcomes the community will have overall.
Health acuity is the actual or perceived severity of the medical problem. Bad car accident injuries, heart attacks, strokes, gun shot wounds etc. are severe high acuity medical problems. Medication refills, common colds, sexually transmitted disease testing, simple rashes, ankle sprain etc, are low acuity medical problems that are not life-threatening. Mid-level acuity can have a broad range, and often the symptoms and history will help dictate the need for immediate testing and imaging. These are just examples. There is not set list, but the idea is the higher the life-threatening status of the medical problem, the higher the acuity and need for immediate evaluation.
Emergency departments can manage all levels of acuity, but the more severe the medical problem, the higher the urgency for evaluation and treatment. Emergency rooms can evaluate a common cold, but in the setting of stable vitals, it would be low acuity and likely have the patient waiting. Overall, emergency rooms are there to treat medical emergencies and evaluate a patient’s need to be hospitalized for further medical care. Before you decide to go wait in the emergency room, ask yourself: “Is this an emergency room problem, or is this something my doctor can manage if I make a same-day or soon appointment?” That being said, if you think it is a medical emergency always go to the emergency department to be evaluated.
Having a good primary care doctor decreases hospitalizations and emergency room visits because you are able to manage chronic medical problems and acute medical problems with your primary care doctor as a resource. Low-acuity medical problems can be managed at a primary care office. Many mid-level acuity problems can be managed at a primary care office and escalated as needed to higher levels of care.
If you come to a primary care office with a medical emergency or concern for a high acuity problem, then you will be transported to a hospital because primary care offices are not equipped to manage medical emergencies.
Now, when you are in the gray area of not being able to get in with your primary care doctor, but have the need to be seen immediately and are aware that your medical problem is not an emergency-then urgent care offices are a great option. Urgent care offices can manage low acuity and mid-level acuity problems, especially if they are occurring acutely. Some urgent cares have access to imaging and blood work to expand the evaluation and testing options. But urgent care offices are not primary care offices and are not ideal for long-term management of a chronic medical problem.
Additionally, if you go to an urgent care office with a medical emergency, you will be transported to a hospital.
There are many health navigation options to help obtain medical care. Yes, emergency rooms can treat all levels of medical problems, but not all medical problems should be treated in an emergency room. Emergency rooms, urgent care offices and primary care offices all play a major role in health care access in our community. Understanding the severity of your medical problem in the moment, regarding life threatening or not, can help you navigate the healthcare system more appropriately. Finally, having a primary care doctor is essential to help prevent hospitalizations and emergency room visits. It is encouraged that everyone have a primary care doctor to help improve health outcomes and health access barriers.
Dr. Aisha Harris, MD is a Flint native and board-certified family medicine doctor at Harris Family Health in Flint, Michigan. Harris Family Health is a membership-based clinic that provides personalized and full primary care to adults and children. Learn more about Harris Family Health by visiting www.harrisfamilyhealth.com. Feel free to submit health questions to Dr Harris via theflintcouriernews@gmail.com.
