Avoiding the ER: options for patients without health or dental insurance – KOCO Oklahoma City

The rise in COVID-19 cases has doctors in Oklahoma and nationwide stressing to patients: don’t go to the emergency room unless you have a true emergency. Where does that leave people who may not have a primary care doctor or health insurance? ERs are packed throughout the metro. Unless a patient is having a true medical emergency, there are plenty of other places to seek care. The problem of people turning to ERs when they may not actually need that level of care is not new. >> RELATED: Emergency rooms, urgent care centers see increase of Oklahomans searching for COVID-19 tests“That, unfortunately, has been common for a long time, whether it’s people who have simply never been connected with a primary care health care provider and had access and developed a relationship … or whether or not they do not truly have a way to get health care until they are in a crisis situation,” said Dr. Sandra Gilliland of Variety Care. ERs also are where many people first turn to for dental concerns. “It hurts the patient because they get frustrated. They go to the hospital, they wait three, four hours, they end up with two prescriptions and their problem isn’t fixed,” said Dr. Edmund Braly of the Oklahoma Dental Association. ERs are jammed and can’t handle extra patients. Many providers, such as Variety Care, offer primary care and telehealth, even at a reduced cost for the uninsured. “If you’re already thinking it’s life-threatening and you’re considering to call an ambulance, then that’s probably a good indication that you need to be in the ER,” Gilliland said. >> RELATED: Oklahoma COVID-19 hospitalizations surpass delta variant’s peakAnd for those without a dentist or dental insurance, there are options as well. “There are several community clinics … in Oklahoma City, I know we have two or three faith-based clinics … we have a clinic also at the University of Oklahoma,” Braly said. “Seventy-nine dollars, they can come be examined, have an X-ray of their entire mouth and have a tooth out.” If you need emergency care, the ER is the place to go. But prepare for a long wait. Hospitals say they’re having to care for some patients in hallways – even closets.

OKLAHOMA CITY —

The rise in COVID-19 cases has doctors in Oklahoma and nationwide stressing to patients: don’t go to the emergency room unless you have a true emergency.

Where does that leave people who may not have a primary care doctor or health insurance?

ERs are packed throughout the metro. Unless a patient is having a true medical emergency, there are plenty of other places to seek care. The problem of people turning to ERs when they may not actually need that level of care is not new.

>> RELATED: Emergency rooms, urgent care centers see increase of Oklahomans searching for COVID-19 tests

“That, unfortunately, has been common for a long time, whether it’s people who have simply never been connected with a primary care health care provider and had access and developed a relationship … or whether or not they do not truly have a way to get health care until they are in a crisis situation,” said Dr. Sandra Gilliland of Variety Care.

ERs also are where many people first turn to for dental concerns.

“It hurts the patient because they get frustrated. They go to the hospital, they wait three, four hours, they end up with two prescriptions and their problem isn’t fixed,” said Dr. Edmund Braly of the Oklahoma Dental Association.

ERs are jammed and can’t handle extra patients. Many providers, such as Variety Care, offer primary care and telehealth, even at a reduced cost for the uninsured.

“If you’re already thinking it’s life-threatening and you’re considering to call an ambulance, then that’s probably a good indication that you need to be in the ER,” Gilliland said.

>> RELATED: Oklahoma COVID-19 hospitalizations surpass delta variant’s peak

And for those without a dentist or dental insurance, there are options as well.

“There are several community clinics … in Oklahoma City, I know we have two or three faith-based clinics … we have a clinic also at the University of Oklahoma,” Braly said. “Seventy-nine dollars, they can come be examined, have an X-ray of their entire mouth and have a tooth out.”

If you need emergency care, the ER is the place to go. But prepare for a long wait. Hospitals say they’re having to care for some patients in hallways – even closets.