Consider the last time you, a family member, or a friend encountered an unexpected health concern. Did you twist your ankle and weren’t sure if it was broken? Did you develop discomfort in your chest and weren’t sure if it was indigestion or a heart attack? Did your child develop a fever and cough and you weren’t sure if this illness required antibiotics to get better? These are all problems that need the help of health services known as acute care.
Where did you turn to get advice and treatment and how did you decide? Was it your doctor’s office, a nearby urgent care center, an emergency department? Were you satisfied with your experience?
Navigating the web of care options and weighing the trade offs of these choices about if, when, and where to seek care is complicated.
