When you are sick or injured, knowing where to seek care isn’t always clear. Should you wait for an appointment with your regular doctor or head to convenient care? Making the right choice can save you time and money.
Mount Nittany Health’s Kaliah Reeves is a board-certified Emergency and Family Nurse Practitioner. She serves on our ExpressCARE team and shares her perspective on navigating these healthcare decisions.
Understanding your care options
“Convenient care is great for immediate care for non-life threatening conditions—minor injuries, infections, cold/flu symptoms, etc.,” Kaliah explained. “Routine checkups, preventative care, and chronic conditions should be handled by a patient’s primary care provider.”
Primary care providers (PCPs) serve as your main healthcare partner, managing your overall health through regular check-ups, preventative care, and ongoing condition management. They have a comprehensive understanding of your health history, medications, and personal needs.
Convenient care facilities like Mount Nittany Health ExpressCARE provide walk-in care for immediate, non-emergency medical needs. This type of care offers same-day treatment when necessary.
Access to care varies between these options. Primary care offers scheduled appointments and ongoing relationships with your healthcare team. Convenient care provides extended hours and walk-in availability for unexpected health conditions.
When to choose primary care
Your PCP should be your first choice for most healthcare needs. “Most chronic conditions that need followed are best managed by your primary care provider,” Kaliah said. “Your PCP has in-depth knowledge of your medical history and what medications you take. So, they are in the best position to support you with the best solutions for your long-term health.”
Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider for:
- Annual check-ups and preventive care
- Chronic condition management
- Medication adjustments
- Regular health screenings
- Follow-up appointments
- Ongoing health conditions
“For example, if someone has high blood pressure, we will not start blood pressure medications or adjust medications that they are already on,” Kaliah noted. “Those types of problems are best handled by their healthcare providers who know them best and have the ability to follow up on their condition.”
When to choose convenient care
Convenient care provides convenient access to care when you need same-day treatment for non-emergency situations. “The benefit of having Mount Nittany Health ExpressCARE is that our electronic medical records carry throughout the system,” Kaliah shared. “As a Mount Nittany Health patient, we have access to your medical history, which allows us to provide the comprehensive care we pride ourselves in.”
Consider convenient care for:
- Minor injuries or cuts
- Cold and flu symptoms
- Common infections
- Lab tests for common illnesses
- Sprains or strains
- After-hours care needs
- Non-severe allergic reactions
- Minor burns
Making the right choice
Sometimes, patients with chronic conditions experience acute issues, and choosing between convenient and primary care requires careful consideration. “Patients with complex chronic conditions should try to schedule with their primary care provider,” Kaliah explained. “However, if they are not able to be seen in a timely manner and their acute issue is something that can be easily managed by someone else, convenient care may be a helpful option.”
Important considerations include:
Access and timing
“ExpressCARE is a walk-in service. We see patients in the order in which they arrive,” Kaliah said. “If you need to return for a follow-up visit, there are no scheduled appointments. Follow-up visits are best handled by your primary care provider.”
Care coordination
“Mount Nittany Health patients can access their records through the portal,” she noted. “Their visit notes are accessible within our electronic medical record for the members of their care team.”
For patients using non-Mount Nittany Health facilities
“If you are visiting a convenient care that is not associated with the same health system as your PCP, prior to leaving, you can request that your notes be forwarded to your provider,” Kaliah advised.
Follow-up care
Mount Nittany Health makes the process seamless when convenient care providers recommend follow-up. “As a Mount Nittany patient, if we see you and feel a follow-up appointment is necessary, we do our best to arrange that with your primary care provider’s office,” she explained.
Find the care you need at Mount Nittany Health. Our primary care and ExpressCARE services work together within one comprehensive healthcare system, ensuring you get the care you need when you need it. Schedule with primary care or visit our ExpressCARE location.
“We are open 7 days a week from 8 am-5:30 pm,” Kaliah added regarding ExpressCARE. “Patients do not need to be Mount Nittany patients, and we accept most insurances as well as the uninsured. If we identify a condition that requires a specialist, we can make a referral.”