Wise Use of the Emergency Room © 2013 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

Today’s Session Determining the care you need Being prepared for emergencies Creating you emergency kit Review over-the-counter products Responding in a real emergency Understanding the emergency room Following up after the ER visit Getting more information The thought of going to an emergency room is frightening to most people. The long waits and the high cost of an emergency room visit are other reasons to stay away if you can. Yet, emergency rooms are overcrowded places often filled with people who could best be treated elsewhere. How do you decide where you should go to get the best care – the right services, the highest quality, at the right price? Let’s examine your options.

Health Care Challenges: Determining Your Need

Determining Your Need Do You Need... Routine Care? Urgent Care? Visit to the doctor’s office Urgent Care? Assistance that can’t wait, but isn’t life-threatening Emergency Care? Intended for serious and sudden health conditions There is another level of care that isn’t addressed here – medical self care. Often you can be very competent in treating common illnesses and injuries. Routine problems will often get better with self-care including OTC medications, rest, and fluids. Conditions like colds, flu, and sore throats are also called “self-limiting” illnesses because they will go away on their own. Urgent problems are not emergencies, but should be checked out by a doctor. Some issues may be able to wait a day or two for an appointment, but some will need to be taken care of the same day at an after-hours clinic or urgent care center. These include bacterial infections, earaches, constant nausea and vomiting, asthma, an eye injury, and urinary tract infections. Emergencies are conditions that require immediate care. These problems are life threatening and are best treated in an ER. By using emergency rooms only for true emergencies, you increase the likelihood of getting the right kind of care and services at the right prices.

What is an Emergency? An emergency is life-threatening and requires immediate care. Call 9-1-1 Phone the ER if possible to let medical staff know you are on your way Take insurance cards, medication and health history information along with you Keep these in a convenient place, such as a handbag or wallet

Examples of an Emergency Not breathing, or having great difficulty breathing Choking – unable to dislodge item Heart attack or stroke Broken bones Severe bleeding or burns Shock Other emergencies include: loss of consciousness, severe abdominal pain, very high fever, seizures

Situations for Urgent Care Sprains Acute pain that does not subside Serious cuts Chemical burns, or burns that are more than 2-3 inches in diameter Frostbite with lingering numbness Any situation that is not life-threatening but still serious should be treated at an urgent care facility... Or, depending on the time of day and the ailment, you may be able to call your own doctor for an emergency appointment.

Poisonings For possible or known poisonings, immediately call the Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222. Follow their instructions. In most cases, you should be able to successfully self-treat at home. For pet poisonings, call 888-426-4435. Many household products have instructions on the label on what to do in case of accidental ingestion. If you know what product has been ingested, have that handy when calling Poison Control.

Syrup of Ipecac In the past, many people would keep ipecac syrup in their households to induce vomiting after a possible poisoning. This is no longer recommended, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Association of Poison Control Centers Its use has been re-evaluated and swallowing the liquid likely makes no difference in poisonings The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently considering making ipecac syrup a prescription-only drug For more information on this topic, visit www.poison.org.

Situations for Routine Care The following can be treated via self-care at home: Minor cuts and sprains Most fevers (<102° F) Headache Sore throat Upper respiratory infection Common back and neck pain These common problems can often be addressed with self-care at home. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, a scheduled visit to your primary care doctor may be in order.

At the Emergency Room

At the Emergency Room If you go to the ER, note the following: Triage Patients in the ER are triaged by severity of injury; you may not be seen in order of arrival. Be prepared to wait Busiest times: at night and on weekends Give as many details to medical personnel as possible How did this happen? What were you doing prior to the emergency? What have you had to eat/drink recently? Of course, in an emergency, the victim should always have someone else drive him/her to the ER, if ambulance service is not an option.

Going Home from the ER Make sure you understand all directions Review and follow instructions Make sure you understand all directions Call doctor if condition worsens Check insurance coverage If it was not a true emergency, it may not be covered You may be required to notify your insurance company within a certain period of time after the ER visit

Office Visit Follow-Up Your Part: Doctor’s Part: Explain treatments and medications in terms you understand Discuss all options before making recommendations Ensure you understand the instructions Encourage questions and answers Inform you of who to call in times of emergency Bring a list of questions; be prepared to write down the answers Record a list of symptoms Bring medications you are currently taking (or have a list of them) Know your insurance coverage; bring your card/paperwork with you You will likely need a follow-up visit after your ER treatment. Follow these good practices to get the most from your office visit.

BEING PREPARED FOR FUTURE EMERGENCIES

Be Prepared for Emergencies Learn CPR and first aid The Red Cross or local community organizations offer classes Keep first aid book or card handy Have emergency numbers posted Next to the home phone, near family computer or on fridge are all good places Know the location of closest emergency facilities Check ahead of time to ensure they are in-network

Be Prepared For Emergencies Understand your insurance policy Certain situations may not be covered Have medical history available Medic alert bracelets should be worn if necessary Keep important medical information in your wallet or handbag Carry ID and insurance card at all times

Your Home Emergency Kit Assorted bandages Sterile gauze pads and tape Moleskin Thermometer Tweezers Moist towelettes List of emergency numbers Flashlight and batteries Nasal bulb syringe Scissors Elastic wrap Another part of being prepared for emergencies is knowing how to handle minor wounds or conditions yourself. Keep first aid kits at home and in your car. Here are some items to have on hand.

Over-the-Counter Aids Pain and fever medications (ibuprofen and acetaminophen) Antacids Antibacterial ointments Decongestants Anti-itch products Antihistamines (avoid if pregnant) Sunblock Anti-diarrheal products There are several over-the-counter items that should be part of your emergency preparedness plan. Keep these items handy at home, stored in a dry, cool place like other medications. If traveling or camping, it’s a good idea to include these in your first aid kit.

Understand Your Benefits Do we have a nurseline or self-care resource available? [insert telephone number or Web address as appropriate] Benefit Plan features: [insert appropriate information, such as copays, network facilities, etc.] Here at [c_officialname] we have the following resources available to help you: [Customize slide and comments to individual situation].

Summary Understand your health and the conditions of your family members Be prepared for emergencies Access the right level of care Follow care instructions carefully Practice prevention Review the information you’ve heard about today, and think about the health practices you currently have in place for emergencies. You’ll probably find that there are several things you are doing well and should continue, but that there are also some new practices you could start. Take a few minutes and write down 2 or 3 ideas you could try in order to be better prepared for an emergency.

Questions?