Increasingly, people are arriving at the emergency department for non-emergent concerns, said a release from the Sunrise Health Region. This occupies the attention of the nursing staff and physicians who need to be watchful for true emergencies.
An emergency includes injuries or illness that may pose an immediate threat to life or limb, such as severe chest or abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, changes in mental status, or accident-related injuries, the release said.
“If a medical concern arises, do not hesitate to seek medical attention,” it said. “If you are having a true emergency, your ambulance service and hospital emergency department is there to help you.
“We do not want to deter anyone who is having a true emergency from coming to the ER. However, non-emergent conditions such as sore throats, rashes, or prescription refills can be more appropriately treated at a physician's office or with the assistance of a pharmacist,” said Lorelee Davis, health service manager of Kamsack Hospital. “Your family physician knows your health history better than the on-call physician in the ER and is best suited to help you.”
The Kamsack Medical Clinic offers walk-in clinic Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. An appointment can be arranged with the clinic by phoning the clinic.
Dates and times for non-emergent procedures performed by physicians in the hospital, such as wart or mole removal, must be arranged by the physician's office.
Healthline can be called if a person is uncertain if he or she needs immediate medical attention. Free advice from a registered nurse is available 24 hours a day by calling Healthline at 811.
