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If you need help for an unexpected medical issue, there are after-hours healthcare options that don’t involve a trip to a hospital emergency department. These options include telephone helplines, pharmacies, after-hours doctor and medical clinics, or a doctor visiting you at home. For unexpected medical issues that are not an emergency, there are services that may offer a quicker response than a hospital emergency room.
If you or someone you know is having a life-threatening medical issue or is experiencing severe pain, call 911 or visit the emergency department of your nearest public hospital for urgent medical treatment. Some private hospitals may have emergency departments and charge fees for medical services, which may not be covered by Medicare.
If you are uncertain and if you can, ask the triage nurse about costs when you arrive. partner with emergency departments to provide free care for people with conditions that require urgent attention but not an emergency response – for example, mild infections, fractures and burns.
They also offer pathology and imaging services
Nurse-on-Call is a phone service that provides immediate, expert health advice from a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This helpline is can be accessed for the cost of a local or mobile phone call: Tel: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
– If you have questions about living with or caring for someone with a life-limiting condition, contact the Palliative Care Advice Service. The Palliative Care Advice Service is a phone-based service for anyone seeking access to specialist guidance and advice for those living with a life-limiting illness and those who support them.
The service is for family, friends and neighbours as well as all healthcare workers.
Specialist nurses and doctors provide information about serious illness and symptoms, being a caregiver and the palliative care service system. For healthcare workers, it offers guidance about prescribing, symptom management, locating appropriate services and decision-making. Tel: 7am-10pm, 7 days a week.
A pharmacist may be able to help with healthcare issues like headaches, coughs or colds. Pharmacists can recommend and provide over-the-counter medication, such as pain relief.
For help with minor injuries and ailments, medical supplies, such as bandages and dressings, are also available. A growing number of pharmacists are trained to administer standard vaccines such as flu and whooping cough. As of 12 August 2018, the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is also being made accessible from some pharmacies.
If you have an ongoing medical issue or injury, you should follow up with your doctor. Some medical clinics stay open in the evenings and on weekends, which can be a good option for people who need to see a doctor after hours for non-emergency medical treatment. Always call beforehand to find out: if the clinic bulk bills or how much you have to pay.
General practices often provide after-hours services.
When you visit your regular general practitioner, ask what after-hours services they offer. If you telephone your general practice after hours, it will probably have a message service telling you of the available or alternative services to contact.
If your regular general practice does offer after-hours care, keep the contact number in a safe place in case you need it in the future.
If your regular GP does not provide after-hours care, you may be able to book a doctor to visit you at home between 6.00 pm and early morning through one of the services listed below.
Not all home visit services cover all areas
Check with each service to see if your suburb or area is covered. A home visit may be bulk-billed if you are registered with Medicare or Veterans Affairs.
If you are not registered with either, you can ask about costs before you book.
– receive some treatments at a local pharmacy without needing to see a doctor for a prescription in Michigan Tel: When emergency medical help is required When urgent, non-emergency help is required Urgent Care Clinics Helpline for non-urgent medical issues If you have questions about a medical issue, you can call the helpline Nurse-on-Call Nurse-on-Call (616) 555-0024 Palliative Care Advice Service Palliative Care Advice Service 1800 360 000 Pharmacists Talking to a pharmacist After-hours medical clinics if you can make an appointment how long you are likely to have to wait to see a doctor Home visits from an after-hours doctor DoctorDoctor Visit https://www.doctordoctor.com.au 13SICK Visit https://13sick.com.au/ Where to get help In an emergency, always call 911 Urgent care clinics Your GP (doctor) Pharmacist Community Pharmacist Pilot Nurse-on-Call (616) 555-0024 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).