THE MORE YOU KNOW: URGENT CARE VS. EMERGENCY CARE

Across the country, community health centers are looking for strategies to help address rising emergency room (ER) volumes. A major step towards decreasing ER capacity happens outside the four walls of a hospital – reducing the number of unnecessary visits by changing health-seeking behavior.

An estimated 60% of all Medicare ER visits are avoidable, and it will be critical to understand the factors that drive these visits, in order to reduce waste and improve quality.

In practice, providers find that it remains an important component of care delivery to explain when an emergency room visit is warranted. Key to this would be to ensure an understanding of the differences between urgent care and emergency care.

Emergency Care
What is it for?

An emergency room visit is based on a medical or psychiatric condition that requires immediate medical attention to prevent a more serious health condition that could place one’s life in jeopardy. If a medical problem is life-threatening, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest hospital.

Common conditions needing emergency care include: chest pain or pressure that radiates to the neck, arm, back or shoulder; shortness of breath; moderate to severe burns; unconsciousness; convulsions or seizures; severe bleeding; and poisoning.

Urgent Care
What is it for?

An urgent care visit is for an acute illness or injury that requires prompt medical attention but is not an emergency medical condition. Care is provided on a walk-in basis and patients are seen according to the level of urgency as determined by triage or an assessment.

In an urgent care setting, needs addressed include but are not limited to: sprains and cuts; headaches; high fevers; mild breathing issues; sore throats; earaches; colds and flu; and seasonal allergies.

An urgent care need may also include a situation where the experience of an acute illness or injury begins to get progressively worse over a short period of time.

Watts Healthcare Center offers a Same Day Clinic, where you can walk in for same day services with a provider. If you have an urgent care need that requires prompt medical attention, please call us at (323) 564-4331.

Handwashing is the simplest, but also the most underrated way of preventing sickness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick.

Most disease is spread through direct and indirect contact. In our day to day life, we are often in direct physical contact with other people who may be sick, and it is easy for disease to spread from others we are in close contact with.

Other more indirect ways of spreading disease includes physical contact with a contaminated surface. Doorknobs, childrens’ toys, pens, beds, tables and medical instruments are a few examples of items that can indirectly transmit disease, particularly if there are infected bodily droplets on these items.

So why is it important to wash your hands? If someone with the flu or a cold sneezes into their hands and grabs a doorknob that you touch immediately afterwards, the chances of becoming ill with the flu are significantly higher if you do not wash your hands. Some other diseases that can spread through direct and indirect contact are measles, coronavirus (COVID-19), diarrhea and tuberculosis.

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

• • Before, during, and after preparing food
  • Before eating food
  • Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
  • After handling pet food or pet treats
  • After touching garbage

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after going to the bathroom, before eating, and especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, one recommendation is to have an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol handy.

If you are feeling feverish, experiencing shortness of breath, and coughing, please visit Watts Healthcare Same Day Clinic for immediate assistance.

Don’t Let the Flu Get You Down!

The flu is a serious disease that causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths each year. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 79,000 Americans died of the flu in the 2017 – 2018 season. That is about the population of Turks & Caicos and Monaco combined. The flu vaccine can help protect people, and can help protect you.

Watts Healthcare continues to require annual flu shots for team members, and encourages all patients to receive flu shots as well. Flu season typically begins in October and lasts through May, so it is never too early, or too late to reduce the risk of getting sick.

2019-2020 Flu Clinic Information

Watts Healthcare offers flu shots at all our clinic locations throughout South Los Angeles County. Flu clinics are open through the season, during regular health center hours.

Vaccine Cost

The cost of the flu shot is based on the vaccine type. Your insurance will be billed for your office visit, and all insurance plans cover the flu vaccine up to a 100 percent. Co-pays may apply based on your coverage.

Who is eligible to receive the vaccine?

Individuals 6 months & older

Is the flu vaccine safe?

Yes, the flu vaccine is safe. The CDC and FDA routinely monitor the safety of all vaccines, and have been shown to have a very strong safety record.

Why should I get the flu shot if I never get sick?

When a sick person is surrounded by other people who have received the flu vaccine, it decreases the likelihood that the infection will spread. Those who are vaccinated become a form of protection for those who have not been, or cannot be vaccinated, especially those individuals with compromised immune systems or babies less than 6 months of age.

The more people who are vaccinated, the better for your community and the general public.

If you have any questions or concerns about flu vaccinations, please talk with your health care provider.

Join us for our Annual Back to School Health Fair Saturday, August 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be free school supplies, games, prizes, and health screenings for parents and children to enjoy. And not to mention, complimentary breakfast for the first hour. Spread the word and see you there!

Our annual Cinco De Mayo Celebration here at Watts Health Center is one of our most anticipated events of the year! It is the day we celebrate Mexican heritage with a live Mariachi band, free tacos, and various culture foods and vendors for all of our patients and the community to enjoy. If you missed this event, there will always be next years!

If you are 65 years an older and have Medicare insurance, there are new changes in your health insurance that you should know. Watts Healthcare hosts, Senior Appreciation Day to inform our patients about the upcoming changes to avoid confusion and more understanding. Stay tuned for our next event to learn about this year’s changes in Medicare insurance.