Do you plan to travel with children this holiday season? The holidays are about spending time with family and friends. However, you also want to ensure that you and your family are protected when away from home. The winter season brings an influx of cold and cases of flu and with icier roads and slippery driveways, you are more prone to injuries. Get the most out of your trip away from home by ensuring that you are prepared for any emergency care.
Bring all of your child?s records with you
It can be difficult to coordinate with an emergency room physician in the treatment of your child if the physician does not know their previous medical history. You should always bring medical records with you. This includes previous medical checkups, vaccination records, and even your physician?s contact information. Fortunately, many physicians store their records electronically. You can bring all of your necessary records with you, without having to bring the physical copy.
Ensure you have plenty of medications filled
It can also be a hassle attempting to get a prescription filled in an unknown place. You have to find a new pharmacy, as well as have your physician call it in. Many physicians are unreachable during the holidays, so you might be left without. Check your prescriptions before leaving for your holiday and request additional if you will be out of town for an extended period of time. Even visiting a 24 pediatric urgent care center might not get you the exact medications you need.
Download your insurance app or have their contact information stored
Medical insurance providers often only cover medical expenses that occur in a network. If you experience a medical emergency and have to run to your local 24 hour pediatric urgent care center, you won?t want to waste time finding an approved location. If your insurance provider has an app, make sure you download it before leaving. Otherwise, store your insurance provider?s after hours contact information into your phone for easy access. An estimated 3 million patient?s visit urgent care centers each week, according to the Urgent Care Association of America. Avoid unexpected costly expenses by knowing which urgent care centers are covered under your insurance.
Know when to visit urgent care
Urgent care centers, even 24 hour pediatric urgent care centers tend to be much more affordable than local hospitals emergency rooms. Even with insurance coverage, you will find that you pay much less out of pocket for a 24 hour pediatric urgent care center. Additionally, the wait times are much less and you still get the same quality consultation from a medical provider. In fact, according to a private study conducted by Milliman, about 44 to 65% of all ER episodes could have been treated in urgent care clinic settings.
Know where both medical models are located
It can also be helpful to know where the local hospitals and urgent clinics are located in your travel destination. Of course, you can always rely on the GPS on your phone. But, what if your phone is not charged or you forget it at home? Identifying the location of these important medical models will help you deal with a pediatric medical emergency easier. You can also choose local medical care based on location, ratings, and accessibility.
Children are prone to more illnesses and injuries. In fact, the average child catches between six and 10 colds a year. If you plan to travel this holiday season, it is important to plan your pediatric medical care needs ahead of time. Bring all of your families medical records, locate the nearest emergency room and 24 hour pediatric urgent care center and ensure that you have filled all of your prescriptions ahead of time. If a pediatric emergency occurs, you will be prepared.