A health clinic, especially one in a rural area, is vital to keeping people’s health in check. If a hospital is miles, cities, or even counties away, your clinic is the only thing ensuring they are seen by a medical professional on a regular basis. However, a health clinic is not and should not ever be a replacement for emergency services. For this reason, there are occasions that a patient may come in and need to be transported to the nearest emergency room. But, when? Send them if they come in complaining about or you notice:

**Persistent chest pain

Difficulty breathing

Severe pain, particularly in the abdomen or mid back

Sudden clumsiness, loss of balance or fainting

Sudden difficulty speaking, or trouble understanding speech

Altered mental status or confusion**

**Suicidal thought

Sudden weakness or paralysis, especially on one side of the face or body

Heart palpitations

Severe headache

Sudden testicular pain and swelling

High fever in a newborn**

**Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy

Severe and persistent vomiting or diarrhea

Serious burns

Seizures, without a previous diagnosis of epilepsy

Falls that cause injury

Sudden vision changes

Broken bones or dislocated joints

Deep cuts that require stitches — especially on the face**

**Large open wound that won’t stop bleeding

Head or eye injuries

Severe flu or cold symptoms

Fevers with rash**

Trust your gut! If something isn’t listed here, but you feel as a medical professional that something is very wrong, send them just to be safe. That’s what you’re there for!

If this seems like a lot to remember, you aren’t wrong. You have enough to handle, without dealing with behind-the-scenes daily functions of your health clinic in addition to dealing with emergencies. Let someone else bill the insurance companies, create a budget, manage the office, and so on. That can be Aptus Associates, LLC. For more information on how we can help your medical practice stay efficient and profitable, please call 1-888-760-2455 or email [email protected].