Expert emergency care – when to seek this type of care?

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many people were afraid to seek emergency care in fear that they might get COVID. However, now that COVID has waned, a refresher on when and when not to go seek emergency care seems appropriate.

Oftentimes when an emergency happens, it is never at a convenient time, and people get flustered, so it is good to know when and where you and your family can seek quality care. To clarify when care is needed, we sought advice from one of our experts, Pramod Vangeti, MD, a board-certified emergency medicine physician and chair of the emergency department at North Suburban Medical Center.

“Emergency care should be sought anytime you feel there is a medical issue that cannot wait,” said Dr. Vangeti. “The problem is that there is not a way to know whether your chest pain is an emergency until you actually come to an emergency department and get evaluated.”

“The same sometimes can be true for abdominal pain, headaches, injuries or other concerns,” Dr. Vangeti continues. “We are open and ready to help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year specifically to use our expertise and resources to determine if there is a medical emergency or situation that needs quicker care and treatment. Avoiding the emergency department for complaints as mentioned above can lead to major consequences and delays in care on issues that otherwise could be recognized and treated earlier before it is too late to intervene appropriately.”

Below are some symptoms or conditions that indicate you need emergent care:

• Abdominal pain
• Broken bones
• Chest pain
• Concussion or head trauma
• Emergency behavioral health issues
• Heart attack
• Open wounds
• Severe allergic reaction
• Stroke – cerebrovascular accident
• Trouble breathing

In trusting your care to a high-quality healthcare facility is another component of seeing emergency medical care. For nearly 40 years, North Suburban located in Thornton, just north of Denver, has served the north metro area. More recently, the hospital was accredited as Level II trauma center and is the only hospital designated as a Level II in Adams County. The emergency department is staffed with board-certified doctors and experienced nurses who are available 24/7 to provide advanced treatment options when you and your loved ones need it most.

When the unexpected happens, you need Trusted Care, Close to Home.

Learn more about emergency services at North Suburban Medical Center where Dr. Vangeti leads the team.