Provided by Cayuga Health
If you go to Cayuga Health’s Cortland Urgent Care, you will need to bring a current list of medications, the name and address of your primary care physician, the address and phone number of your pharmacy, and your insurance card.
Have you ever been sick with an illness that’s not getting better with home remedies, but hesitated to get in the car because you weren’t sure if you should go to the emergency room or urgent care? You’re not alone. Physicians at Cayuga Health, a member of Centralus Health, find a lot of patients wondering if their symptoms warrant a visit to a provider at all. Unless a condition is life threatening like difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, severe chest pain or something else that could be linked to a serious condition, a trip to urgent care is likely the best option.
Similar to an emergency room visit, a trip to urgent care is unscheduled and walk-in only. These visits aren’t as emergent as a health condition that would lead you to the ER but still require quick intervention. This includes stubborn cold and flu symptoms, minor cuts and burns, sprains and strains, ear and eye infections, rashes, and more.
Not every non-emergent issue should lead to an urgent care visit. Conditions like chronic illnesses or wellness related care like annual physicals and immunizations can’t be addressed at these facilities. This is best left to your primary care provider. Urgent care is not meant to replace the services offered by your doctor, nurse practitioner, or other healthcare provider.
Now, it’s even easier to check in at Cayuga Health’s Cortland Walk-In Care with the new ‘On My Way’ feature, offered through Epic’s MyChart software. The feature allows patients seeking care to see estimated wait times online and alert staff that they are on their way to prepare for arrival. This information streamlines the check-in process and allows for shorter wait times, more staff preparedness, and increased patient satisfaction.
Once you arrive at Cayuga Health’s Cortland Urgent Care Center, a nurse will take note of what brought you in and place you on a waiting list if you did not utilize early check-in. Some patients may have an issue that requires them to be seen sooner. When you’re taken back to an exam room, you may still need to wait to see a provider. During that wait, a staff member will check in on you and your family members every 20 minutes, offering updates on your status to be seen, while doing what they can to make you comfortable in the meantime.
Treatment can be done in the office, but some issues may require a follow-up appointment in a doctor’s office or a trip to the emergency department. This usually happens when a patient’s condition is more serious than initially assessed or if symptoms worsen during the visit.
The duration of a visit can vary depending on your needs. Cayuga Health’s Cortland Urgent Care Center has board certified emergency medicine physicians on staff that may be able to diagnose or refer patients to a different facility for additional care. The office offers imaging services for patients who need x-rays to further diagnose suspected fractures or dislocations, bone infections, bone tumors, arthritis, lung conditions (like pneumonia and lung cancer), certain heart problems, digestive issues, and the presence of foreign objects. The Cortland office also offers lab testing, helping diagnose and manage a variety of conditions from strep throat, flu and RSV, A1C tests for diabetes, TSH tests for thyroid conditions, pregnancy tests and more. These results can help guide treatment decisions and determine if a patient needs additional care.
If you receive lab work during your visit and don’t hear back from a provider, that may be a good sign. Patients will only be notified if there is a positive result or if there is some kind of change to the treatment plan discussed during your visit. Cayuga Health’s Urgent Care Center does not call for all lab results. Providers will tell patients if they should expect a call at the end of their visit.
When your care is complete, a registered nurse will go over your discharge paperwork and at-home care plan with you. If there are any unanswered questions or confusion about your diagnosis, medications or test results, this is the time to voice your concerns. Centralus Health is committed to safe, effective, confidential care as stated on Cayuga Health’s Urgent Care services webpage.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of this during your visit, speak up. Talk to your nurse, provider or the director. Remember that this is your health and you have a right to know and question your health care.
If you decide you need to go to urgent care, there are a few things you should bring with you to ensure the visit goes as smoothly as possible. All Centralus Health Urgent Care offices ask for a current list of medications, the name and address of your primary care physician, the address and phone number of your pharmacy, and your insurance card.
Cayuga Health Cortland Urgent Care is located at 1129 Commons Avenue, Cortland. The office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Contact the office at (607) 756 – 7200.
