In this episode of Thompson On-Air, board-certified family medicine physician and Thompson's Chief of Outpatient Medicine, Jonathon Lammers, MD, joins host Dave Carro to help listeners figure out where to go when a sudden illness or injury strikes: the emergency department, urgent care, or their primary care office. Dr. Lammers explains how severity should guide every decision, when to call 911 rather than drive, and what belongs in the ED - from heart attacks and strokes to deep lacerations, severe allergic reactions, and intense headaches. He walks through what really happens in the ED, why triage sees the sickest patients first, and how much activity is taking place behind the scenes even when the ED looks quiet. Dr. Lammers also demystifies urgent care, sharing that it can handle roughly 80 percent of what comes into an emergency room, depending on severity, and explains how the right-care decision looks different for children as well as older adults managing chronic conditions. Above all, he explains why a phone call to a primary care office is often the best first step, and why having a primary care provider in your corner is one of the best long-term health decisions you can make. 

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• Email us at Thompson_CorporateCommunications@URMC.Rochester.edu
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