AFTER HOURS WHEN OFFICE IS CLOSED
In the event of an EMERGENCY, go directly to the nearest emergency department or call 911
For a Mental Health Crisis call 988
After Hours & Emergencies
To reach the after-hours Triage Nurse/On-Call Pediatrician (urgent medical problems that cannot wait until the next business day), dial 252-499-6012 for the answering service.
**PLEASE NOTE: A call back can be expected within 30 minutes, please be sure to keep your phone lines open and your ringer on. If you have any blocks on your phone please remove them (the call will be returned from a blocked number). If you do not receive a call back after 30 minutes please contact the answering service again. Our triage nurses are well trained with years of experience and can answer most of your questions, but they also have direct access to the pediatrician on call. In addition to the after-hours triage nurse, there is always a pediatrician on call 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
**If you must seek care at an Urgent Care or emergency room after hours please let them know we are your primary care provider and ask them to send the visit notes to us for your follow-up care.
CALL US FIRST
- Our providers can be reached for urgent medical issues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling our office number 252-726-0511
- To avoid urgent care or ER visits we offer same-day appointments and an after-hours clinic
- Many urgent medical problems that occur after-hours are not life-threatening and can be managed initially through our triage nurse. Calling us may help you avoid a trip to the emergency room or urgent care center
- We can coordinate your child’s care after-hours to potentially avoid costly copays and guide you to the help you need
- We know your child and their medical history so we can deliver the best possible care and outcomes
URGENT CARE CENTER
- Call us first. Many medical conditions treated at an urgent care center can be easily addressed at our office and can sometimes be treated over the phone
- Urgent care centers are designed for convenient care of low severity problems
- Urgent care center copays are higher than those at our office.
- During weekend hours, calling as soon as the concern arises can assure a prompt provider visit
- If you choose to use an urgent care center please be sure to have them send us a copy of all reports
- Call us to arrange a follow-up appointment in our office and the Care Coordinator can help arrange a specialist visit if that is required
EMERGENCY ROOM
- If there is a life-threatening emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.
- ER’s are designed for the care of severe or life-threatening conditions.
- If your emergency is not immediately life threatening and you feel you can safely wait to call us first, we may be able to help you manage the situation by seeing your child in the office or providing care over the phone
- Some examples of problems that are best managed in the emergency room include:
✓ Significant bleeding
✓ Severe Chest pain
✓ Shortness of breath
✓ Severe allergic reactions
✓ Broken bones
✓ Loss of consciousness