For parents making the call on a visit to urgent care vs waiting to be seen in office the next day can be even more difficult than when your child is sick. When it it an orthopedic issue there are so many things that we can't see or know so that compounds the difficulty, I have been guilty of sending my son to bed with what I thought was some swelling and a twisted ankle to be greeted in the morning with what turned out to be a broken ankle. We have taken advantage of the OrthoCarolina Orthopedic Urgent Care facility in Matthews and Ballantyne more times than I care to count (life with active boys) and I have even been seen myself. The care has been amazing and the speed in which we get in and out and the quality of care. We spoke with Tim Pysell, Vice President of Value Based Services with OrthoCarolina to get some more information about the urgent care facilities as well as some tips for making your trip to urgent care easier.
What is the benefit of being seen in an orthopedic urgent care vs an emergency room?
The benefits are several. First, the wait to be seen is typically shorter, as OrthoCarolina’s Orthopedic Urgent Care (OUC) is focused completely on acute musculoskeletal care. Therefore, we are not forced to work in the complaints like chest pain or abdominal pain. Second, the providers that are seeing patients in the OUC are essentially the same PAs and surgeons who work currently for OrthoCarolina practices. Those few who are not are almost categorically former OC PAs and surgeons. All of our providers in OUC work with the physicians and PAs often, which facilitates appropriate follow up and communication. Finally, all of the records and imaging is already captured in our unified electronic medical record. That allows the any providers evaluating a patient on follow up to have immediate access to charts and images.
What type if injuries do you treat at the urgent care facility? We treat patients from children to the elderly with all types of injuries of the muscles, bones, and joints including the back and neck.
Do patients need a referral from their primary care physician to be seen in the urgent care? From our perspective, no; however, every insurance plan is different. We accept most insurance plans and have cash options as well.
At what age do you start seeing patients in the urgent care facility? We really don’t have a particular age; it is dependent on the complaint, but we are always happy to evaluate any patient. As a general rule, we typically see few patients that are too young to walk.
What are some of the top reasons that patients are seen in OrthoCarolina’s urgent care facilities? Our top presenting complaints include pain in any joint (shoulder, wrist, elbow, hip, knee, foot, or ankle), joint injuries (pain, swelling), muscle strain, back/neck pain, and joint or bone deformity.
What are some clues that you should go to urgent care vs waiting to make an appointment with the dr the next day? We are happy to see any patient that would like their problem evaluated. Sometimes, the treatment may be pain management, splinting or immobilization (sling or crutches), and a follow up appointment with an OC provider within a few days. Rarely, we apply casts in OUC because acute injuries swell and cast application, in some instances, can be dangerous. Generally speaking, if you have a problem that has been evaluated in one of our offices already and you are being followed for that problem, OUC cannot take the place of your follow up visit. Similarly, if you had surgery by one of our surgeons and, for example, you missed a follow up appointment, coming to OUC will generally be of little benefit unless you see signs of infection that were explained to you after your surgery or experience unexplained increasing pain.
Do the urgent cares only see emergency cases or can you be seen for other reasons as well? Our OUCs do not see true emergencies. Any threat to life, limb, or neurologic function should be evaluated by our colleagues in the emergency department of your choice, and every situation requires a decision as to whether transportation is by personal vehicle or ambulance.
What type of providers are on staff at OrthoCarolina urgent care facilities? Our OUCs are staffed primarily with experienced orthopaedic physician assistants. Our PAs are nationally certified, licensed by the North Carolina Medical Board, and have a minimum of two years of experience in orthopaedics, but most have more than five years of experience. There are several orthopaedic surgeons who also see patients in the OUC. Most of these physicians have been in practice for fifteen years or more.
What are some tips to help make a visit to the urgent care go smoothly (what should patients bring etc). Since we deal primarily with acute problems, the most important information to bring is a good recollection of the events leading up to the injury and a good description of what happened. Additionally, since our OUCs are not appointment-based and volume varies, we ask all patients to consider that they may not be able to be evaluated by a provider immediately on arrival.
Does it cost extra to been seen at the urgent care vs waiting to be seen the next day in the dr office? Our fees are similar to physician office fees, which are as much as 90% cheaper than emergency department visits.
OrthoCarolina has 7 urgent care facilities across the area to meet your families needs. You can see a full list of the centers along with the hours of operation at OrthoCarolina.
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