6 Central Peninsula Hospital Your kid falls down the steps. Or the knife slips while you’re chopping vegetables. Or your chest suddenly hurts. What do you do? When you need immediate medical care, you must choose among the emergency room, urgent care or your primary care provider’s office. But when the unexpected happens, it can be hard to decide. Here’s how to make the call. Urgent care Urgent care clinics, sometimes called quick-care or walk-in clinics, aren’t a substitute for emergency care. Urgent care can be a good place to go when your regular provider’s office is closed— such as during nights, weekends or holidays. Head to urgent care with these and other minor issues when you can’t see your usual provider: ● Minor cuts and burns. ● Sprains and strains. ● Rashes. ● Vomiting and diarrhea. ● Back pain. ● Urinary tract infections. ● Cold and flu symptoms. ● Headaches. ● Upset stomach. ● Pink eye. ● Earaches. Emergency department Emergency departments, also known as emergency rooms, are part of hospitals. They offer the special equipment and highly trained providers that emergencies require. Emergency departments are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and they are required by law to treat anyone who comes in. Call 911 or head to the ED if you experience any of these emergencies: ● Chest pain. ● Severe bleeding. ● Difficulty breathing. ● Facial drooping or weakness in a leg or arm. ● Head trauma. ● Sudden confusion. ● Severe abdominal pain. Primary care If the care you need is not an emergency and your doctor’s office is open, consider going to your primary care provider (PCP). There’s trust and a relationship between patient and doctor, even if you’ve only met a few times. Plus, they have your medical records on file and know your health history. A PCP can treat the same problems that an urgent care handles—if an appointment is available. Do you have a health issue that needs timely attention and your PCP isn’t available? Central Peninsula Urgent Care is conveniently located at the corner of Kenai Spur Highway and Walmart Drive in Kenai. Staffed with board-certified emergency physicians and compassionate nurses, they are dedicated to your well-being and open every day from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. No appointment necessary—just walk in. Choosing the right medical care Questions? Visit www.kenaiurgentcare.com or call 907-714-5740 for more information. Central Peninsula Urgent Care 10128 Kenai Spur Highway, Kenai Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American College of Emergency Physicians
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