Dr. Scott Burger
No matter how many precautions you might take, you can’t always prevent illness or injury. Whether your child’s fever is skyrocketing and you suspect the flu, you’ve sliced your finger and need stitches, or a colleague has had a workplace accident, your first step is to find help.
 ChoiceOne Urgent CareA partner of University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake HealthChoiceOne Urgent Care Aberdeen 744 South Philadelphia Blvd., Suite B Aberdeen, MD 21001 443-345-2650 ChoiceOne Urgent Care Fallston 2315 Belair Road, Unit C1 Fallston, MD 21047 443-966-3900 ChoiceOne Urgent Care Forest Hill Opening January 2018 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily Walk in or by appointment Urgent Care Services Offered For: • Asthma and allergies • Broken bones • Burns, rashes and bites • Colds, cough and the flu • Cuts and bruises • Eye injuries and infections • Headaches • Infections, e.g., UTI, skin • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea • Sprains and strains X-Rays, Labs and Screenings Onsite • Digital x-rays • EKG • Laboratory tests Occupational Health Services • Workers’ compensation • Pre-employment physicals • Drug and alcohol testing, including • Return-to-Work Clearance • Non-life threatening medical care such as broken bones, burns and eye injuries Travel Health and Medicine Program • Vaccinations, including flu shots • Medications, including altitude and motion sickness, anti-malarial and Additional Services • Sports and camp physicals • Preoperative examinations Go to the Emergency Room • Chest pain, especially if it radiates to • Difficulty breathing • Severe pain in the abdomen • Sudden difficulty speaking, loss of balance or fainting • Severe burns • Loss of vision |
While your immediate thought is to rush to the Emergency Department – especially if your physician’s office is booked or closed – the reality is that the Emergency Department may not be the right option for you.
Emergency Departments are designed to treat patients with life-threatening conditions. Think chest pains, stroke, severe pain, head injuries, burns or traumatic injuries after a car crash. These facilities are equipped to provide rapid, advanced care, such as surgery, only available in a hospital setting. What emergency rooms aren’t designed to do is provide immediate care for patients who do not have a life-threatening injury or illness.
Although the flu, a sprain, allergic reactions, asthma, rashes or insect bites are distressing, they often take a back seat to more critical problems in the Emergency Department. If you elect the Emergency Department for less serious conditions, you’ll likely endure hours of waiting, a rushed visit with a physician and a hefty bill.
There is a better way. ChoiceOne Urgent Care provides the highest levels of medical care, housed in walk-in clinics throughout the region. “Our patients come in for acute, episodic conditions that are not life-threatening,” says Scott Burger, D.O., chief medical officer, ChoiceOne Urgent Care. Instead of waiting hours in the emergency room, patients are seen upon arrival. Or, patients may choose to schedule a same-day appointment online.
Unfortunately, the typical Emergency Department visit, even for conditions that are not life-threatening, can cost upward of several thousand dollars. By comparison, ChoiceOne costs far less and accepts most private health insurance and governmental plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. Instead of multiple Emergency Department bills arriving over the course of months, there is one, significantly lower bill for the visit.
For employers, too, ChoiceOne is often a more efficient alternative to the Emergency Department to treat injuries that occur in the workplace. “We care for employees quickly and efficiently,” says Dr. Burger. “We help the employer keep costs down and help employees regain health and return to work faster.”
Caring for patients age 1 and older, ChoiceOne partners with the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health and has strong relationships with many health care providers. What that means for patients is an integrated approach for referrals, something often lacking in a hectic Emergency Department.
Not only do all patients receive a follow-up call three days after their visit, they also leave with a referral if needed. “At ChoiceOne, we will treat the patient, arrange the referral and transfer all medical records,” says Dr. Burger. “Patients may not be able to absorb all the information they hear during a visit, so we make sure to help with their follow-up care.” The team sends records back to a patient’s primary care physician or, if the patient does not have a primary care physician, will make a recommendation.
“We look at this as an opportunity to connect people to preventive care and help create healthier communities,” continues Dr. Burger. “Our mission is focused on urgent care to help the patient with his or her health care needs and then collaborate with physicians and institutions to keep people healthy.”
From the start, the patient experience is paramount. All ChoiceOne team members undergo Patient Experience training. “Our team understands the high expectations we set in meeting patient needs.” These expectations extend to the physical environment. Every ChoiceOne center has a soothing color scheme, tranquil music, artwork and even a waterfall. There’s also a coffee bar for a hot drink.
“Our goal is to provide health care that is convenient, cost-effective and focused on the entire patient experience,” says Dr. Burger. I95 Content Marketing