Chapter 2: Settings Where Healthcare is Delivered
Brandon Censon MPH, CPH, RRT-NPS, CPFT, CPT
Emergency Care
Emergency care is considered to be the frontlines of healthcare and is equipped with specialists and the critical resources that are required to stabilize patients who are experiencing sudden illness or injury. Emergency departments can be found in many of the types of hospitals described in the previous section, as well as in free-standing emergency departments. Patients are taken to the emergency department when they have a medical problem that is severe enough to be considered life-threatening. Some common emergency or life-threatening conditions include: stroke, heart attack, severe accidents / trauma, infection that is overwhelming the body, head injuries, and medical problems that impair a patient’s ability to breathe effectively. According to the CDC, there are about 130 million emergency room visits each year and about 12.4% of the visits require a patient to be admitted to the hospital. Emergency care can be expensive and patients can have long wait times to receive medical care. Patients are triaged based on the severity or acuity of their injury or illness. The sickest patients will receive care first.
Urgent Care
Urgent care centers are facilities that provide treatment to injuries and illnesses that are not considered life-threatening, but do require same-day medical care. Urgent care clinics are generally walk-in and appointments are not required to be seen. Due to the increased utilization of urgent care clinics, wait times for care are extended. Some of the care that is provided at an urgent care clinic may include the treatment of minor cuts and lacerations, minor orthopedic conditions such as sprains and broken bones, flu and colds, as well as some localized infections (American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine (AAUCM), n.d.). Most urgent care clinics treat both adults and pediatric patients. It is also important to make the distinction between an urgent care clinic and a walk-in clinic. Walk-in clinics are typically found in or around retailers and treat common, non life threatening conditions. Walk-in clinics have a strong emphasis on convenience and being affordable.
A Day in the Life in the Emergency Room: Triage
Have you ever been to the emergency room and had to wait a long time despite individuals arriving at the emergency room after you? If so, this is an example of a patient being triaged. Triage is used in the emergency room as a systematic way to categorize patients based on how sick they are or how severe their injury is. Triage is an important element in the emergency room to ensure that patients who need immediate and lifesaving care are cared for and treated before those with less severe conditions. Triage is also applied to available staff and resources. In general, there are 5 levels of medical care, varying from no care is needed to immediate care, for those individuals who have a life-threatening condition. An example of triage in application may be: Sharon just arrived at the emergency department just having experienced a traumatic event, impacting multiple organs. Following her arrival, Cleo arrived at the emergency department with symptoms that align with a common cold or flu. In this scenario, Sharon would be seen first, as her current clinical presentation could be life threatening, warranting immediate care. Whereas, Cleo would be considered stable and her current presentation would not be considered life threatening, therefore, the care that she would receive would be held off until there are more resources available to care for her.
Attributions
- Figure 2.2: Accident & Emergency Sign by lydia_shiningbrightly is released under CC BY 2.0
Refers to the sorting of individuals based on their need for immediate medical care.
The severity or intensity of a condition or illness, helping to define the level of care that a patient will receive.