All-About Micro Hospitals
Modern medicine is always evolving, from new medications and vaccines, to the latest in diagnostic technology. As we see reports and articles about new treatments, many people assume these developments only take place around traditional hospitals in big cities, not anywhere accessible to their own hometown. But traditional hospitals are not the only ones making new medical strides. Micro-hospitals, like Oklahoma ER & Hospital, are on the rise, and these new facilities are bringing a lot more than just antibiotics to local communities.
What are Micro-hospitals?
This is the first question that comes to mind when someone is introduced to a micro-hospital. What are they? What is the difference between a micro-hospital and a traditional hospital? The term micro-hospital might make you think that it refers only to the size of the facility, but it actually refers to the scope of the hospital, not its physical size.
Micro-hospitals are medical facilities that offer emergency medicine, specialty services, and even in-patient procedures for patients. They offer these services to smaller, focused communities, rather than providing wide-spread care to large areas. With a dedicated staff of nurses and doctors serving a smaller area, micro-hospitals offer more personalized healthcare to their patients. This makes their service quicker and more convenient than most large hospital ERs.
What services can Micro-hospitals provide?
Most people have an idea with what a hospital does. Through visits, news reports, and even TV medical dramas, we are familiar with the idea of X-Rays, MRIs, surgery, and more. Since traditional hospitals provide so many services, it begs the question: what medical care can a micro-hospital provide?
By definition, micro-hospitals are community hospitals which has patient exam rooms and beds, capable of treating emergency and pre-emergency medical conditions. What this means is that micro-hospitals can treat and diagnose conditions that someone might go to an emergency room for,as well as treating and diagnosing conditions which are severe, but not yet emergent. This includes injuries like broken bones, concussions and cuts, as well as illnesses like flu, strep throat, fevers, and infections. All of these conditions, and many more, are treatable in micro-hospitals thanks to their in-house resources.
The Equipment of Micro-hospitals
Since micro-hospitals are smaller facilities, their resources can vary from facility to facility. Usually, micro-hospitals will tailor their equipment and resources to match what their patients need the most. For example, Oklahoma ER & Hospital serves many families in the Edmond area, and offers special pediatric emergency care to help parents get quick care for their kids.
As micro-hospitals become more established in their communities, they will expand their services to provide newer, more innovative care to their patients. Expanded care for micro-hospitals can include obstetric care, IV therapies, and more.
In addition to thorough medical care, micro-hospitals are often uniquely equipped to give patients in-house diagnostics. On-site laboratories and imaging means that whether a patient needs an X-Ray, CT-scan,MRI, or blood test, the micro-hospital they’ve come to can perform these procedures at their facility. Patients typically get their results back very quickly, since a micro-hospital doesn’t have to manage the same long lines and crowds that come from a traditional hospital’s triage system. The accessibility and ease of getting all of your tests and diagnostic imaging on-site makes micro-hospitals pillars of medical care for their communities.
What can a Micro-Hospital’s Emergency Department Treat?
Your local micro-hospital might offer many services, but sometimes you might wonder when you should or shouldn’t go to one for help. After all, there are also urgent care centers and private doctor’s offices which offer medical care in easy access, so how do you know it is time to go to a micro-hospital’s emergency department?
This usually comes down to determining if your condition is emergent or non-emergent. Emergent conditions are any medical condition that requires immediate attention from a doctor. Emergent conditions can include strokes, heart attacks, broken bones, and high fevers. There are many different emergent medical conditions, and sometimes it is hard to tell when a condition is severe enough to be emergent, but a good way to tell is thinking about whether you’d go to an ER, or your personal physician. For example, a common cold is not emergent, but it is something you could go to your personal doctor or an urgent care center for if you needed extra medical help. On the other hand, being sick with a high fever for a long period of time is an emergent condition when a micro-hospital could help you get treatment.
There are few emergency conditions that a micro-hospital cannot treat, and they can vary depending on each facility’s resources. Some facilities might offer specialized care for expecting mothers, and other facilities might be equipped to treat patients for several days as they recover from a stroke or severe injury. In general, micro-hospitals are not equipped to perform surgery, though, and in situations when surgery is necessary,micro-hospitals can help their patients get transferred immediately to the in-patient beds at a nearby traditional hospital as well as get referrals for specialists that the micro-hospital may not have in-house.
For many communities,micro-hospitals are the difference between medical care and none. When large hospitals are far away, local communities don’t get the access they need. Since micro-hospitals are open 24/7, just like larger hospitals, they offer accessible healthcare, no matter the hour or day. They provide vital care for those in need and can offer a variety of services.
Oklahoma ER & Hospital is proud to be providing these important services to all of our patients. With concierge-level care offered 24/7 and wait times under 5 minutes, we provide personalized medical care for families in need. For more information about our services, click here.