Urgent Care now open; Other local health care options available
Urgent Care available at VMH ... Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon is now offering Urgent Care seven days a week. Urgent Care is designed for treating injuries or illnesses requiring immediate care, but not serious enough to require an emergency department visit. Patients may enter through the main entrance of the hospital, pictured above, and ask for Urgent Care. Submitted photo.
Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon is now offering Urgent Care seven days a week. Urgent Care is designed for treating injuries or illnesses requiring immediate care, but not serious enough to require an emergency department visit.
Urgent Care is now offered every Monday through Friday evening from 5-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Patients may enter through the main entrance of the hospital and ask for Urgent Care. A registered nurse will assess each patient and decide if they meet criteria for urgent care. Urgent Care is first come, first serve with emergency patients taking precedence.
“We had decided earlier this fall to begin Urgent Care at Veterans Memorial Hospital starting in mid-November, and with the recent announcement of the impending closure of the Waukon Mayo Clinic, we are so thankful we had already started the process,” states Mike Myers, Administrator of Veterans Memorial Hospital. “This will give our community an option to walk-in for the immediate health care they need without a large emergency room bill.”
Examples of what a patient may seek Urgent Care for could include back pain; urinary tract infection; coughs; cuts, scrapes and bruises; diarrhea; fever, colds and flu; ear pain, swimmer’s ear, ear infection, or wax removal; insect or tick bite; joint pain; minor burn; nausea/vomiting; pink eye; rash; seasonal allergies; sinus and upper respiratory infection; sore or strep throat; strains/sprains; or urinary problems. Most insurance does cover urgent care visits. Patients can usually expect to pay a copay or deductible for visits to Urgent Care treatment centers.
“Local care will still be available through other local clinics in the area as well as our new Urgent Care service,” adds Myers. “We encourage the communities we serve to ask their provider if their care can be provided right here, close to home, at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Many of our skilled care, surgical, maternity, laboratory, rehab and x-ray patients, among others, share with us that they would have been sent elsewhere for their care, had they not specifically asked for local care at VMH.”
“We want everyone in our local communities to ask for local options before leaving the area for their health care,” states Myers. “So many services can be provided close to home. It’s convenient, top-notch and our friendly staff truly shows how neighbors can care for neighbors.”
