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Emergency Room
The ER can be a valuable resource in a true medical
emergency, but it’s a good idea to avoid unnecessary visits.
Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, D.O. tells you what you can do.
T
he emergency room (ER) is as a cardiologist if you have serious heart
available to everyone 24 hours a disease). Keep recommended follow-
day, seven days a week. An ER has up appointments.
a specifi c function — to treat emergen- ■ Take medication as prescribed, and
cies. It is your responsibility to determine make certain you always have a week’s
whether a medical situation has become worth of your prescriptions on hand so
an emergency. you don’t run out on weekends.
Some defi ne an emergency as the threat ■ If you’re not feeling well, schedule an ap-
of loss of life, limb, or sight or permanent pointment with your health care provider
disability. ERs generally are best staffed to during regular offi ce hours. Seek care be-
ER Visits Can Be
deal with immediate treatment of serious fore a small problem becomes a midnight
a Warning
trauma (such as injury from a car accident) emergency. If you start to feel sick before a
■ If elderly people make and sudden serious medical conditions such weekend or holiday, it’s better to call when
repeated ER visits, this
as an impending heart attack or stroke. symptoms are mild than risk becoming se-
might be a sign inde-
However, many people seek emergency riously ill when the offi ce is closed.
pendent living is not the
most appropriate living
room care for routine illness such as a cold ■ If you have repeated exacerbations of
situation. A more struc-
or slight fever, and the ER might not be a chronic disease — such as asthma or
tured living environment the best source of this care. ER visits are diabetes — that requires emergency treat-
(such as assisted living)
expensive, and most ERs don’t provide ment, work with your primary care pro-
or visits by home nurs-
immediate care — unless there is a true vider to fi nd ways to manage and stabilize
ing/health aides often can
be very helpful.
emergency, a visit generally requires many your illness to avoid these acute episodes.
hours of waiting. This might require changes in behavior
Other things ERs generally are not (diet, smoking, etcetera), medication
equipped or staffed to provide include management including patient compli-
preventive care or patient education; long ance, more frequent follow-up visits, or
term care for chronic or recurrent prob- other management tools.
lems; support services such as physical Emergency rooms have a role in Ameri-
therapy or occupational therapy; and con- can medicine: to treat true emergencies.
tinuity of care. A one-time ER visit can’t They can do that better — and we all will be
offer medication management, nor is the healthier — if we do what we can to mini-
ER a good place for medication refi lls. mize the need for emergency care. MO
Here’s how you can minimize your
need for emergency room care:
— Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, USPHS-Ret.,
D.O., M.A., is vice president, Health Sciences,
■ Establish a relationship with a primary
Battelle Memorial Institute, Arlington, Va. Find
care provider (such as an internist, family
more health and wellness resources at www
doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician
.moaa.org/wellness. For submission information,
assistant) and specialists, if needed (such see page 20.
48 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2008 PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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