If you had to go to Urgent Care or the emergency room now, what would happen to your pets? Your kids? Your own health if you couldn't talk to the doctors there? No one likes the idea of having to go seek last-minute medical care, especially emergency treatment. But there is always a risk it could happen, and you should have plans in place so that your seeking care doesn't have adverse effects on others. You also need a way to ensure you don't suffer adverse effects that could have been prevented. Look at the following issues and put plans in place to account for them.

Plans for Pets and Children

If you are not feeling well and have to go to the emergency room, you need to leave your pets or kids with someone who can care for them. If you live with a spouse or other family member, that's taken care of, but if you live alone except for the pet or child, you need someone helping out. This could be a neighbor or another relative or friend, but you should know who you can call. Talk to a neighbor about letting your pet stay at their place if you have to go, or make agreements with a couple of relatives and have one of them take your kids in, so your kids don't have to wander in the hospital while you wait for help (that could potentially freak them out if they don't understand what's happening).

Who Knows Where You Went?

Even if you don't have pets or children, you should have a couple of names of people you can call to let them know you've gone to the emergency room with a problem. Again, if you live with other people, obviously, they can take care of that. But if you live alone, you want to let others know where you are going in case there's a major problem that keeps you in the hospital for a while. These other people can call your work and others who need to know where you are. While you're checking with people to see who is willing to be an emergency contact, call your doctor's office and be sure that any phone numbers they have for family members are up to date.

Emergency Info Cards

Finally, you have to be sure that if you are in a position where you can't speak easily, you can still convey allergy and current medication/condition information. Always have a card with you that spells out your medical info. If you know your blood type, list that; list doctor names (even if you're going to the hospital associated with your doctor's office), medications, supplements, if you have any sort of implants like pins from joint surgery, and so on. You might not be able to speak well, but you can still hand the nurses that card.

Again, no one wants to think about bad things happening, but you also don't want to go to the emergency room and be stuck there while no one knows where you are. Your doctor's office may have additional suggestions, so ask them what else you should do. For more information, contact establishments like Van Wert County Hospital.

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