Acute Care

Family Medicine located in Helena, MT

Acute care provides same-day treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, including colds, and COVID-19. At Sage Medical Clinic in Helena, Montana, the team of experienced family medicine providers provides various acute care services, including stitches, lab work, and prescription antibiotics. Call Sage Medical Clinic today to schedule an acute care appointment for yourself or your child, or book your visit online.

Are acute care and urgent care the same thing?

Yes. Acute care and urgent care are different names for the same thing. Specifically, they provide prompt diagnosis and treatment of non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

Acute care provides a faster and cheaper alternative to visiting the emergency room. Since ERs see patients based on their level of need, you might have to wait hours to see a doctor, especially if someone else is sicker or more injured than you.

Acute care, on the other hand, lets you meet with a qualified provider right away. Simply call the Sage Medical Clinic office to speak with an administrative team member.

What types of illnesses and injuries does acute care treat?

The Sage Medical Clinic team uses acute care to treat various illnesses and injuries, including:

Sprains and strains
Respiratory problems, like asthma and bronchitis
Fever
Flu
Colds
COVID-19
Sore throat
Cough
Insect bites
Minor burns
Eye irritation and redness
Cuts and lacerations
Urinary tract infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

You might benefit from acute care if gastrointestinal symptoms, like diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, don’t improve with at-home measures.

What does an acute care appointment involve?

At Sage Medical Clinic, acute care appointments average 30 minutes. Your provider reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms, including when they started and how you managed them at home. Next, they complete a physical exam.

What happens during the exam depends on the location and severity of your symptoms. For example, if you have a sore throat, your provider feels your lymph nodes, looks at the back of your throat, and collects a throat swab for laboratory analysis. They might also prescribe antibiotics or antiviral medication to speed up healing.

Alternatively, if you cut yourself while cooking, your provider assesses the cut’s depth and severity. They clean and sterilize the wound, apply stitches if needed, and provide recommendations to speed up healing.

What should I bring to an acute care appointment?

The Sage Medical Team recommends bringing the following to your acute care appointment:

Photo ID
Health insurance information
Names of the medications and supplements you take
A list of questions for your doctor
Results from any recent or relevant medical tests

Call Sage Medical Clinic today to schedule a new patient appointment, or book your visit online.