Ochsner Health Update: ER Visits

Making an Emergency Room Visit Less Painful

Tips on When and How to Visit the ER

    Millions of people go to hospital emergency rooms every year for a range of illnesses including everything from flu symptoms and car accidents to dizziness and falls.  With a little advance preparation and planning before a medical emergency ever occurs you can make your next ER visit a little less hectic.  Here are a few suggestions:

·            Get a primary care physician. Having a regular doctor who keeps your medical history on file and is available to see you in a pinch is one of your best recourses. Call your primary care physician and describe your symptoms. The doctor can tell you whether emergency treatment is necessary. For urgent problems that don't require emergency care, most doctors will try to squeeze you in.

·         Keep important medical information on you. Carry a small card in your purse or wallet that notes the name and telephone number of your regular doctor, any allergies or chronic medical problems, and any medications (along with dosage) you may be taking.

·         Locate the emergency rooms near your home and work. Not all hospitals are equipped to handle any emergency. Find out what type of emergency services are available in your community.   

·         Insurance Coverage. Make sure you know which emergency services are covered by your insurance. For example, if you go to an ER with an ear infection, your health insurance may not cover the cost.

To Go or Not to Go?

    Many people who go to an emergency room do not need urgent care.  Learning the signs of serious illness can help you determine if you should go the ER or contact your family physician. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, it is best to seek immediate care.

Childhood Emergency Warning Signs

• Acting strangely or becoming withdrawn
• Unconsciousness or no response when you talk with your child
• Loss of consciousness
• Increasing effort or trouble breathing
• Skin or lips that look blue, purple, or gray
• Neck stiffness or a rash with fever
• Increasing or persistent pain
• A cut that is large, deep, or involves the head, chest, or abdomen
• Bleeding that does not stop after applying pressure for 5 minutes
• A burn that is large or involves the hands, feet, groin, chest or face
• Any loss of consciousness, confusion, headache, or vomiting after a head injury
• Injuries from falls, choking, drowning, burns, smoke inhalation, electric shocks, or firearms
• Call your pediatrician or the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1212) immediately if your child has swallowed a suspected poison or another person's medication.

Adult Emergency Warning Signs

In addition to the above symptoms, the following should be considered an emergency for adults:

• Loss of consciousness
• Signs of heart attack that last more than two minutes: pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest; tightness, burning, or aching under the breastbone
• Signs of a stroke: sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body; sudden loss of vision, speech, or trouble talking; sudden, severe headaches; unexplained dizziness, especially when accompanied by other stroke symptoms
• Severe shortness of breath
• Bleeding that doesn’t stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure
• A severe reaction to an insect bite or sting, or to a medication, especially if breathing is difficult
• A major injury, such as a head trauma
• Unexplained stupor, drowsiness or disorientation
• Coughing up or vomiting blood, and severe or persistent vomiting
• Suicidal or homicidal feelings

    Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge off of O’Neal Lane offers 24-hour emergency services at the facility’s full service emergency room.  The ER offers a 30 minute guaranty that patients will see an ER provider within 30 minutes or less.  In addition, ER wait times are posted online and available via the free Ochsner ER Wait Time mobile app.  For more information, including a video on when to visit the ER log on to http://www.ochsner.org/emergency/.

    Dr. Keith Holmes is a long-time Central resident and an internal medicine physician at Ochsner Health Center – Central.  He can be contacted at 261-9790.