Hey guys! Happy back to school and back to a routine! With all the excitement of school and Fall sports, I thought it would be fitting to share a post about Emergency Departments, because let’s be honest emergencies happen. Ayla, Ayden and I had the opportunity to tour the AdventHealth South Overland Park location a couple weeks ago. I first have to say that I was REALLY impressed with how knowledgable and loving the entire staff was to our family.
A little more about AdventHealth Kansas City; they have 3 emergency department locations: AdventHealth South Overland Park (the one we toured) and AdventHealth Lenexa. The South Overland Park and Lenexa locations are free-standing ERs, BUT this October the South OP location is breaking ground to build an attached full service hospital with inpatient rooms. This will be an 85 bed hospital. In addition to labor and delivery they will have an Intensive Care Unit, heart care, surgical care and more. The hospital is scheduled to be complete in 2021. The third location is AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. It is the main hospital campus and also has an emergency department. Side note, Ayden was delivered at the main AdventHealth Shawnee Mission hospital and I would give my entire visit a 10 out of 10 rating. The nurses and staff were incredible, the facility was clean and almost spa-like. The care that I received during delivery and recovery was unmatched.
Okay, back on track here. Do you know the appropriate times to visit an ER, Urgent Care or Primary Care facility? As a Mom when something happens to my child, I tend to think WORST CASE and immediately start searching for answers. Keep this in mind when deciding when to go and where; ERs are for critical situations. Example of this would be a cut or loose limb, a bad break, unbearable pain that you can’t stand…basically the ED (Emergency Department) is reserved for scary situations.
An appropriate Urgent Care visit would be less complicated. Let’s say every year around Harvest time you tend to get an ear or sinus infection. You know that you just need an antibiotic and your primary care doctor isn’t available to see you for another week. This is a great time to visit an Urgent Care. It’s a quick fix on a less complicated issue.
The physicians at AdventHealth Kansas City suggested visiting your primary care doctor for any on-going issues. These issues may require more intensive testing and/or a referral to see a specialist. Helpful tip: Anytime you visit an ER or Urgent Care it is a good idea to let your Primary Doctor know. They can make a note of it on your medical record and continue to follow-up if the issue becomes reoccurring.
Emergency Departments like AdventHealth Kansas City are fully equipped to help you in an emergency. They have 24/7 imaging technology and board certified ER doctors to help identify and stabilize the issue. Urgent Care and Community Hospitals DO NOT have these capabilities. Entering the AdventHealth Kansas City ERs is a seamless process. They have a 10 year head start against the competition, and take great pride on how well they care for each patient. They have a high volume procedure put into place to move patients effectively and efficiently through the ER. The person that you first see when you walk into any AdventHealth Kansas City ER is a nurse or PA. They are immediately capable of determining the severity of the situation. This system is very helpful in saving lives.
AdventHealth Kansas City also has an “AdventHealth Nurseline” that has handled more than 3 million calls since its founding in 1986. This service is staffed by registered nurses and it is free. The NurseLine is open 24/7, every day of the year. To speak with a nurse, call Call 913-676-7777 .
A top question asked about ER visits is the cost. As for cost, there are fees associated with getting checked out, seeing the physician, etc. but there is not a crazy “flat fee” — it all depends on the services you need. Here’s the overall takeaway: Knowing when to go to the ER vs. Urgent Care is the best way to manage the cost of your healthcare when you’re not going to your primary care physician (PCP). Regardless of the cost, if you truly need help because of an emergency, head to the ER to ensure you get the best care. I also suggest that you take some time to understand your insurance benefits. That will make your trip to the ER a little less stressful.
Other helpful things connected to AdventHealth Kansas City:
Centra Care is AdventHealth’s urgent care chain. You’ll see them all around the Kansas City metro area, and you can learn more about them here.
AdventHealth KC has another online resource, called MyHealthKC, this is designed to match patients with a health care provider who shares their approach to health care, as well as personal interests, needs and lifestyle. They have a lot of blogs and guides about healthy living, but also have a survey you can take that matches you with a PCP and OB/GYN who is aligned with your health and wellness goals. You can see that full platform here.
Before I left I was given a coffee cup that read WORK OF HEART. It is based on Phillippians 1.6. “And I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” The paper that accompanied the mug said, We are God’s workmanship- a work in progress, longing to be more like Jesus. God uses people, circumstances, joys and struggles to refine and sharpen our character. He is always working in us. He uses our faithfulness and pursuit of Him to change our hearts daily. WE ARE ALL A WORK OF HEART.
Overall, I am excited about all the care and services AdventHealth is offering to the Kansas City and surrounding areas, and find comfort in the fact that I WILL NOT have to google search where to go. I know that AdventHealth Kansas City is the answer for my family.
For more information visit AdventHealth KC on: Facebook – facebook.com/AdventHealthKansasCity Instagram – @adventhealthkc Twitter – @adventhealthkc
All views and opinions are my own. Thanks to AdventHealth Kansas City for sponsoring this post.
Xox – Karlie