Right Place to Get Care

Right Place to
Get Care

Question 1
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Question 6

Telehealth*

Doctor's office

Urgent care center

Emergency room

Making the right choice among these options could save you money and time.

*Telehealth provides 24/7 care—online or over the phone—for common health concerns. Telehealth services are provided to Aetna participants through Teladoc and Anthem participants through LiveHealth Online.

Where would you go for a common cold, sore throat, earache, or fever?

Correct:

Good call.

A telehealth provider and your primary care physician are both good choices for situations that don’t require immediate attention. Consider contacting a telehealth provider for most of your common health concerns, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can also use the doctor's office for issues that can wait until the next day or after the weekend. When your regular doctor or health care provider isn’t available, and you don’t want to seek treatment online or by phone, an urgent care center can help you.

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Incorrect:

Think telehealth or a doctor’s office first.

The emergency room is for significant health issues that require immediate treatment. A telehealth provider and your primary care physician are both good choices for situations that don’t require immediate attention. Consider contacting a telehealth provider for most of your common health concerns, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can also use the doctor's office for issues that can wait until the next day or after the weekend. When your regular doctor or health care provider isn’t available, and you don’t want to seek treatment online or by phone, an urgent care center can help you.

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Where would you go for minor cuts requiring stitches?

Correct:

An urgent care center may be your best option, depending on the severity of the injury and whether an urgent care center is nearby.

If you have a cut requiring stitches, you shouldn't wait for a doctor's appointment, but you may not need to rush off to the emergency room, where you could experience long wait times and take resources away from patients with more urgent needs. Find a nearby urgent care center to have your injury examined. If you think that your cut is severe or there isn’t an urgent care center nearby, you should go to the emergency room.

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Incorrect:

An urgent care center may be your best option, depending on the severity of the injury and whether an urgent care center is nearby.

If you have a cut requiring stitches, you shouldn't wait for a doctor's appointment, but you may not need to rush off to the emergency room, where you could experience long wait times and take resources away from patients with more urgent needs. Find a nearby urgent care center to have your injury examined. If you think that your cut is severe or there isn’t an urgent care center nearby, you should go to the emergency room.

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Where would you go for sudden weakness, dizziness, or loss of consciousness?

Correct:

Calling 9-1-1 immediately is the right choice. Don't risk it by taking the time to call your doctor or telehealth, or by going to an urgent care center. Call for an ambulance right away, and go to the emergency room.

These may be signs of a life-threatening stroke or heart attack that requires immediate attention. Taking an ambulance is the quickest and safest option because paramedics can deliver life-saving care on the way to the hospital.

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Incorrect:

Calling 9-1-1 immediately is the right choice. Don't risk it by taking the time to call your doctor or telehealth, or by going to an urgent care center. Call for an ambulance right away, and go to the emergency room.

These may be signs of a life-threatening stroke or heart attack that requires immediate attention. Taking an ambulance is the quickest and safest option because paramedics can deliver life-saving care on the way to the hospital.

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Where would you go for well-child visits or a physical?

Correct:

Your doctor’s office is your best choice.

Your primary care physician has your records and knows your health history, so he or she is a great choice for well-care visits and vaccinations, physicals, prescription refills, routine exams, and screenings. It’s also important to develop a relationship with your primary care physician to ensure he or she has a thorough understanding of your health care needs.

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Incorrect:

Your doctor’s office is your best choice.

You shouldn’t consider the other options. Your primary care physician has your records and knows your health history, so he or she is a great choice for well-care visits and vaccinations, physicals, prescription refills, routine exams, and screenings. It’s also important to develop a relationship with your primary care physician to ensure he or she has a thorough understanding of your health care needs.

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Where would you go for chest pain, difficulty breathing, or sudden shortness of breath?

Correct:

This qualifies as a true emergency, so the emergency room is the only option you should consider.

The emergency room is for significant health issues that require immediate treatment with care available 24/7. Do not drive if you're experiencing severe chest pains. Call 9-1-1 instead.

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Incorrect:

This could be a true emergency, so choose the emergency room.

If you're ever in doubt, it's better to be safe and go to the closest emergency room. The emergency room is for significant health issues that require immediate treatment with care available 24/7. Do not drive if you're experiencing severe chest pains. Call 9-1-1 instead.

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Where would you go for a severely sprained or broken ankle?

Correct:

Choose an urgent care center* or emergency room, depending on the severity.

If your condition isn't limb-threatening but needs to be taken care of right away, then a nearby urgent care center may be the right choice for you. Urgent care centers are usually open after normal business hours, including evenings and weekends when many injuries such as this occur. If there’s not an urgent care center nearby or you believe your injury requires emergency room services, head to the closest emergency room. In most situations, you’ll find that you save time and money by going to an urgent care center instead of an emergency room. Learn more about getting the right care at the right place.

*Contact the urgent care center in advance to ensure it has an X-ray machine at its location. Visit your medical plan carrier’s website to find the nearest urgent care center.

Incorrect:

Choose an urgent care center* or emergency room, depending on the severity.

If your condition isn't limb-threatening but needs to be taken care of right away, then a nearby urgent care center may be the right choice for you. Urgent care centers are usually open after normal business hours, including evenings and weekends when many injuries such as this occur. If there’s not an urgent care center nearby or you believe your injury requires emergency room services, head to the closest emergency room. In most situations, you’ll find that you save time and money by going to an urgent care center instead of an emergency room. Learn more about getting the right care at the right place.

*Contact the urgent care center in advance to ensure it has an X-ray machine at its location. Visit your medical plan carrier’s website to find the nearest urgent care center.