In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to worry about medical emergencies. But with a new COVID-19 variant making its way across the globe, and many Americans having few savings in the event of an emergency, it’s important to make sure you’re as prepared for a medical emergency as possible, even if you believe it could never happen to you.
Make Sure Important Information Is Within Reach
Keep health insurance information on hand and make sure if you have an advanced health care directive that it’s available. This is because you never know what may happen at any given time and you don’t want people to gamble with the kind of care you need, possibly getting it wrong. Aim to be a part of the 18% of Americans aged above the age of 55 years who have an advanced health care directive. You will give your loved ones an easier time while ensuring your risk of complications stays at a minimum.
Keep an Eye on Your Health With a PCP
A beneficial thing you can do for your health is to stay updated with your primary care physician. This will make it a lot easier to catch medical problems that are developing before they evolve into medical emergencies. For instance, the rate of new cancer diagnoses is 442.4 per every 100,000 people annually. By going over your family’s medical history with your PCP, you can be on a better lookout for potential medical issues and prevent them from becoming bigger, scarier problems later down the line.
Avoid Urgent Care If You’re Having a True Medical Emergency
Many Americans choose to visit Urgent Care over the Emergency Room, and for good reason. Almost half of all visits to urgent care cost less than $150 in the end when compared to the average of $1,354 that is spent on a visit to the emergency room. Keep in mind, however, that Urgent Care Centers don’t treat medical emergencies such as heart attacks. Stay well-informed about such issues so you can avoid paying a premium for services that you shouldn’t, or prolonging your medical complications by visiting the wrong treatment center.
Have Your Doctor On Speed Dial
The best of us forget people’s names and faces on a regular basis, but where your health matters, you need to take steps to make sure this doesn’t happen. Write down a list of your health care providers, and their specifics, then transfer this list to your phone with all the details in it. This way, should you ever be in an emergency situation, either you or someone near you can easily reach the relevant health provider through your phone. You can go a step further and pin a copy of this list in a visible place at home in your kitchen or in the office. When this information is easily accessible, you can rest assured that help is close by in case you or someone close to you needs it.
In these uncertain times, the four tips above can make a big difference in whether you and your loved ones get the care they need when you need it, or you don’t get it. Make sure to put them into practice as soon as possible and you will get some valuable peace of mind while going about your daily life.