The ER or the Care Center: Do You Know Where to Go?

Peter Valko, M.D., medical director of the Emergency Department at Ocean Medical Center, talks with a patient about her care.

Making choices can be tough — especially when you or someone you love needs quick medical attention. Do you need a satellite emergency department like the Ocean Care Center in Point Pleasant, NJ, or a community hospital emergency department like the one at Ocean Medical Center in Brick, NJ?

"Knowing where to go for appropriate care is important, because studies show that a large number of all emergency department visits are actually not for true emergencies," explaines Peter C. Valko, M.D., medical director of the Emergency Department at Ocean Medical Center. "In fact, the less of an emergency you have, the longer you may have to wait to get the care you need." The reason? In an emergency department, critically ill patients must be treated before patients with non-life-threatening injuries can be helped.

What Is A True Emergency?
Although this is not a complete list, here are examples of true emergency situations, which require a visit to the emergency department:

• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing or choking
• Weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
• Sudden, severe pain
• Head or back injuries
• Bleeding or vomiting that won't stop
• Loss of consciousness
• Poisoning
• Major burns and cuts

What Is Considered A Care Center Need?
The Care Center is the right place to go for medical problems that need immediate — but not emergency — attention. Examples of these types of medical situations include:

• Minor sprains
• Small cuts
• Sore throats
• Fevers
• Ear infections

"The great thing about the Ocean Care Center is that we are often able to evaluate, treat, and discharge patients more quickly than we would be able to in a full-service emergency department," says Dr. Valko. "When it comes to life's minor emergencies, the Ocean Care Center really is your best bet. But above all, remember that in the event of an emergency, if you have doubts about where to go, simply go to the nearest emergency department or call 911."