This content is sponsored by Patient First.
Urgent care shouldn’t make a patient feel stressed out. It seems obvious, but it’s at the heart of how one local health care practice delivers its wide array of services.
Patient First has been providing urgent and primary medical care for more than four decades, said Dr. Delbert Morales, regional medical director for the Northern Virginia and Greater Washington regions.
“You’ll be greeted promptly. You’ll be taken care of.” said Morales, who is also director of the brand new Capitol Heights, Maryland, location in Ritchie Station Marketplace, just inside the Beltway.
The newly opened medical center is the 22nd Patient First facility in the DMV. Located in Capitol Heights, Maryland, the new center, like other Patient First locations across the mid-Atlantic region, is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 365 days per year, on a no-appointment basis. Patient First medical centers are staffed by physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, X-ray techs, lab techs, medical assistants, and front office staff.
Team approach to walk-in health care
At Patient First, a full staff of medical professionals is available at all times with a goal of making each patient feel welcomed and at ease, Morales said.
We asked Morales to share what makes Patient First distinctive when it comes to urgent care. He detailed several services available at its centers:
- In-house labs: Onsite lab testing is performed at Patient First. This includes blood tests like a complete blood count (CBC), making it easier to determine if a patient has a bacterial or viral infection.
- On-site X-ray departments: Doctors can diagnose and treat fractures and sprains quickly, he said. Imaging also helps diagnose respiratory conditions like pneumonia.
- EKG machines: These can help identify potential cardiac issues.
- Suture care: Onsite teams can treat lacerations that require stitches.
- Prescription medications: Each location has on-site medications that are commonly prescribed in an urgent care setting. Patients can often leave with their prescription medications in-hand, without having to make an extra trip to the pharmacy.
- IV hydration: The centers can provide IV services for patients who are dehydrated.
- Nebulizer treatments: Patients suffering mild to moderate asthma attacks or other respiratory conditions can receive inhaled medication care.
Primary care plus urgent care
In addition to providing urgent care at Patient First, we also provide primary care for patients who do not already have a regular physician, Morales said.
Although Patient First operates on a non-appointment basis, each provider’s schedule is posted online, Morales said. You can see the doctor you prefer without waiting for days or weeks. Patients can view their preferred physician’s schedule on the Patient First website. If they are working today, simply walk in and request to see that physician during the registration process. If their preferred physician is not working, they can make the decision to wait until they are working, or walk in at any time and see another provider.
If a patient does have a primary care physician, Patient First doctors work collaboratively with that care team, providing visit information for continuity of care, if the patient wishes to do so.
“We work cooperatively with other primary care physicians and specialists,” Morales said, adding, “And if someone needs to be referred to a specialist doctor, we can always do that.”
Making urgent care convenient
With locations throughout the Washington, D.C., metro area and beyond, Patient First makes it easy for people to find a center near their home or work.
Plus, telehealth options are also available, Morales said. The only requirement is that a patient calls from a state in which Patient First provides services. Those states include Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
“The patient is able to call from wherever they may be, whether it’s at work, home elsewhere” he said. “Telehealth visits are also on a non-appointment basis. When care is needed, simply call us or register online. Once registration is complete, we will connect you with a physician or advanced practice provider who will interview you and assess your concerns.” If it is something they can safely treat via Telehealth, they will do so. If the visit requires in-person care, they will provide guidance on the best next steps.
A provider, for example, could submit a prescription to a local pharmacy following a telehealth assessment or provide a note via email for a sick child to take to school.
One health concern sometimes leads to another
When a patient goes to urgent care for one issue, a care provider might discover something else. “That’s a good thing,” Morales said.
“Our goal is to make sure that we’re taking care of the patient in the best way possible, not just that urgent care need,” he said. “If there’s something else that’s going on, we want to address it.”
Someone may come in with a sore throat, “and we may notice that their blood pressure is not well controlled. If that’s the case, we are going to address it,” Morales said.
“As providers, as an organization, we understand that when a patient is coming to us, they trust us. They want us to take care of them. They want us to listen to them. So, the goal is just to be there for patients — for whatever they may need.”
Learn more about urgent care services at Patient First. And discover additional tips and tactics to get on top of your health on WTOP.
