If you’ve had an accident there is no need to panic. Dr Chris du Plessis, head of the emergency centre at Mediclinic Vergelegen, and Dr Basil Bonner, specialist emergency physician explain what an emergency is and what to expect at an emergency centre.
ER24 emergency number: 084 124
What happens when I arrive at an emergency centre?
You’ll be greeted and medically assessed to determine the priority of your condition. We do this to identify and help people with life-threatening conditions before those who have with less serious problems. Administration personnel will then ask for your personal and medical-aid details so that they can medico-legally register you for treatment (or open a file). You will need to have some kind of ID with you ID book or drivers licence) and your medical-aid card, if applicable. A short wait might be necessary before you see the clinical staff, who will assess you and determine the need for special investigations, treatment and referral for admission or discharge. Keep in mind that many medical-aid schemes regard emergency centre visits as outpatient visits rather than hospital attendances, which means they may not cover your visit under the benefits offered.
Are there different types of emergency centres?
Not all emergency centres offer the same level of care. Some will have doctors in attendance 24 hours a day, with full specialist on back-up cover. Smaller centres rely on local GPs to provide an ‘on call’ service. However, all centres are equipped to recognise and deal with resuscitation.
So what constitutes an emergency?
An absolute medical or surgical emergency is any condition that threatens life or limb, or causes significant discomfort (for example pain) to warrant immediate attention. There are, however, many other conditions that aren’t that serious but can also be considered emergencies. You should visit an emergency centre if a medical or surgical condition exists that will deteriorate if it’s not treated. We try to help our patients as soon as possible, but sometimes there are delays when seriously ill patients are helped before those with less serious conditions.
Do you have any tips on how to avoid a trip to the emergency centre?
Remember that prevention is better than cure. Enjoy your holiday but make sure you consider your safety and that of others first. The most common reasons for unplanned emergency centre visits relate to accidents (road and domestic), food and alcohol indiscretions, and sun or heat exposure without protection.
The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.
The post What to do in an emergency appeared first on Mediclinic.
