Acute Care Facility

• Usually less crowded, less wait time

• Some have labs, X-rays, CT scans and more

• Some have access to an adjacent pharmacy

• Appointments can be scheduled

• Follow-up care is available

• Some provide longterm primary care

Making The Choice

Ocala Health System, which includes Ocala Regional Medical Center and West Marion Community Hospital, provides online access to wait times at area emergency rooms. This assists prospective patients who may wish to be seen in a timelier manner. Although wait times are important, the most important aspect of emergency care is in knowing which facility is best suited for your personal needs.

Rogers, who has more than 19 years of experience in emergency medicine, says that when it comes time to make the decision between visiting your local ER or an acute care facility, it will require “self-triage.” by treating non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries that range from a cough or sore throat to lacerations and motor vehicle accidents where there is no significant trauma. However, she states that patients need to be aware that not all acute care facilities are created equal.

“Some facilities, such as ours, have labs and imaging capabilities that others do not,” she says. “If you do choose to go to an acute care facility, make sure it has the equipment available to help diagnose and treat your illness or injury properly.”

Rogers states that facilities with advanced capabilities, such as Express Care of Ocala, can help facilitate admittance to local hospitals if a patient requires more extensive medical treatment.

“If a patient presents with an illness or injury serious enough to warrant admission to a hospital, we can help streamline the admittance process,” she says. “We work with hospitalists to directly admit patients that we have determined need more intensive medical care. This is really our primary goal—to avoid the ER. This is one of the many ways we help ease the strain of overcrowding.”

“You will be the one to determine which facility is best for you,” she says. “If you are exhibiting symptoms of a serious, possibly life-threatening illness such as heart attack or stroke, then the ER is defi nitely your fi rst choice. If you feel your illness or injury isn’t life threatening, then you should visit an acute care facility. By choosing the proper facility for treatment, you can actually help make the entire system work more e ciently for everyone.”

Vitamin D

Sunlight is the richest and most natural source for vitamin D. A study conducted by the journal Clinical Nutrition published the collective results from over 18,000 British citizens for vitamin D deficiencies and any associated mental disorders. They found obvious parallels between those lacking in vitamin D and those patients with depression and panic disorders.

EAT MORE: Beef liver, cheese and egg yolks