4 HEALTH COMPASS EARLY SUMMER 2024 Ah, summertime. Along with the sunshine and blue skies come a myriad of opportunities to scrape your knee, inhale too much pollen or, heaven forbid, break something. Choosing immediate medical care When your child 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. Care when you need it 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 a CMH Urgent Care in Seaside, Astoria or Warrenton 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 Remember, because it’s a walk-in clinic, the urgent care may not have your health information on file, so be sure to tell them about any medications you’re taking and if you have any allergies. Our three CMH Urgent Care locations are open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and closed on only Thanksgiving and Christmas. Emergency department (ED) Emergency departments, also known as emergency rooms, are part of hospitals. CMH’s Emergency Department is staffed with highly trained, boardcertified providers in collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University and offers the special equipment that emergencies require. The ED is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and it is 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 • Cold and flu symptoms • Headaches • Upset stomach • Pink eye • Earaches
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