Where do you go when you have a broken bone, a major injury, a cold or an illness and how can you stay healthy during these colder months?
Health care providers at Spectrum Health are hoping to educate their patients on when and how to do just that. Patrick Hayford, PA-C came on the show to help patients better understand and prepare.
Urgent Care or Walk-In Clinic provide the following services:
- Urgent cares are meant to be quick and convenient for our patients.
- Walk-In Clinics are generally “no stitches, no broken bones.”
- Urgent Cares radiology services available in the same building.
- We treat non-life threatening conditions – allergies, bumps and bruises, cold and flu symptoms and many others.
- Spectrum's urgent care locations have specific hours of operation such as evening and weekend hours that try to better address the busy lives of the community.
If the condition has nothing to do with the above, head to the emergency room!
Also with winter coming up, there are other ways patients can work to stay healthy:
- First, we recommend that everyone 6 months and older to receive an influenza vaccination albeit a few rare exceptions.
- Last year, unfortunately was a hard flu season and we would like to limit our communities impact this year.
- Spectrum Health offers this vaccination now so people are covered prior to it hitting our area.
Children under the age of 8-years-old who have not had a total of two influenza vaccinations before should actually receive two doses this season to be appropriately covered. These two doses should be separated over a four-week span.
Beyond getting poked, which no one enjoys, people should also follow healthy habits to avoid germs:
- Make sure you stay, well hydrated and wash your hands frequently.
- With Halloween coming, many people will be sharing more than candy when going door to door.
- Many of the common illness we see during the winter are spread around by direct contact or touching.
- Covering your coughs and sneezes will minimize this “sharing” however frequent hand washing is so important.
- Lastly, if you ever have a concern or illness, seek medical advice.
For more information, visit spectrumhealth.org
