Life-threatening diseases and injuries require prompt medical care to prevent adverse effects such as disability and death. Patients living with diabetes, hypertension and heart disease may require emergency care at times. If you or your loved one in Sugar Land needs to be wheeled into an ER, you may consider St. Michael’s Elite Hospital to receive this life-saving service. Remember, how an emergency is handled immediately it presents can make all the difference between life and death.
What is emergency care?
Emergency care is a branch of medicine that deals with severe injury or illness resulting in unexpected or sudden symptoms and needs prompt medical attention to prevent an irreversible impairment or death. The emergency care service plays a vital role in directing patients to areas to get immediate medical care. The emergency department does not require the patients to make an appointment before their treatment. The emergency care room providers specialize in offering initial treatment for many injuries and diseases that may jeopardize your life. In most hospitals, the emergency departments are open 24/7.
What medical emergencies does the emergency room address?
Whenever you get into an accident or acquire an illness, you need to gauge how serious your health condition is before determining whether to call your healthcare provider, go to a hospital or go to the nearest emergency department. Some of the health conditions you can consider a medical emergency include:
- Lightning strike or electric shock
- Choking
- Head trauma with fainting, confusion, or passing out
- Severe pressure in your chest or chest pain
- Spine or neck injury accompanied with immobility or loss of feeling in your limbs
Severe burns are also part of emergency health conditions. You can also go to the emergency department if you have a severe allergic reaction that causes hives, trouble breathing, and swelling.
How can you differentiate between an urgent care clinic and emergency care?
An emergency department addresses life-threatening health conditions or diseases that can cause permanent disability. On the other hand, urgent care addresses minor injuries that cannot cause permanent disability and can wait longer. The urgent care clinic is also suitable for illnesses with minor symptoms and no underlying health condition. For instance, you can go to urgent care to treat an earache. Still, if it is accompanied by an extremely high fever or on specific medications, you may need to go to the emergency department.
What happens in the emergency care department?
Upon arrival at the emergency department, the compassionate providers may inquire about your symptoms and review your medical history before deciding their next step. They may also ask if you are on any supplements or medications. Your physician conducts a comprehensive physical exam and may order several diagnostic tests to confirm his diagnosis. Your provider may conduct tests such as blood work, ultrasound, CT scan, extremity MRI, urinalysis, X-ray. The emergency care team may then analyze your results and discuss the diagnosis. They may then give you several recommendations, including admission to the in-patient unit for treatment. After treatment, you may need to keep in touch with your physician in case of emergency or for additional treatment.
If you have severe injury or illness, do not hesitate to contact your trusted health facility for emergency medical care.
