After-Hours Pediatrics in Georgia is a Game Changer for Kids

A new type of medical facility is sprouting up in the affluent suburbs of major cities nationwide, coined “kids-only urgent care.”

The rise of after-hours pediatrics in Georgia is comparable to urgent care facilities in that they offer evening and weekend hours, walk-in, and no-appointment services. Like urgent care, it’s more concentrated in sunbelt states like Texas, Florida, and Arizona.

This corresponds to rapidly growing communities where hospitals are less established as providers of “first choice. A few major markets, though, where the practice isn’t present are Chicago and Philadelphia.

Additionally, payers are more flexible in admitting urgent care to their networks, and barriers to physician entrepreneurship are low. Today, this kids-only urgent care facility has reached Georgia and has been rising—a game changer for kids’ healthcare in Georgia.

What Is After-Hour Pediatrics?

Pediatric after-hours care refers to medical services provided outside regular business hours, typically on weekends and evenings. Your sick child receives prompt medical attention rather than waiting until the next working day or visiting the emergency room.

After-hours pediatric clinics like Omega Pediatrics offer such services. We are open until nine in the evening to accommodate your kid’s health concerns, whether it is a routine physical examination or an urgent health matter.

What are the Benefits of After-Hours Pediatrics?

After-hours care ensures your child receives medical attention without waiting until your child’s pediatrician is available. You get to avoid the long waiting times and additional expenses of going to an emergency room while still receiving high-quality care for your child.

1.   Convenience

It isn’t always convenient for your child to be sick! Your kids’ symptoms may not appear until after your doctor has left for the day. After-hours care may offer your little one the same level of care as your child’s primary care physician.

The sole distinction is that they offer late and weekend hours, so you would see a pediatrician beyond working hours.

2.   Fast Service

Due to the hospital’s triage system, your kid may have to wait longer in the queue for his turn to be attended to in the emergency room. This means that your kid’s case is evaluated based on the degree of emergency.

If your child has a cough and others are coming in due to a car accident and are bleeding, you will be pushed further down the list. That is not the case with after-hours care; your child is immediately given the proper care.

3.   Fewer Hospital Visits

Visiting the hospital ER should be reserved for true emergencies. It isn’t a medical emergency if your child is feverish, experiencing stomach flu, or has accidentally cut his finger in the kitchen while cooking! Medical help is highly necessary, but it need not be at the ER.

4.   Affordable

The ER can be an expensive place to visit. Even if they accept your insurance, you will likely have a high co-pay and may be required to pay additional fees later. You don’t want to spend a fortune just because your child’s pediatrician isn’t available!

After-Hour Pediatrics vs Urgent Care Facilities: How They Differ

Pediatric after-hours share numerous similarities to the urgent care operating framework—and many call themselves “urgent care.” But because they don’t treat all individuals regardless of age, they aren’t “urgent care centers.” 

Due to the close link between referring to pediatricians and children’s hospitals, many parents perceive that “kids only” is a better option. An urgent care center treating all ages may struggle to capture pediatric patients.

• Urgent care accepts patients of all ages, whereas pediatric after-hours typically cater to patients under 18 years old. 
• Urgent care relies on signage visibility and paid advertising to generate new business, whereas pediatric after-hours rely predominantly on primary care physician referral relationships. 
• Urgent care is open during the day and sees most patients early in the morning when primary care practices have opened, though appointments are often unavailable on short notice.

In contrast, pediatric after-hours is open late in the afternoon, shortly after primary care offices have closed.

• Urgent care centers hire full-time Family Medicine practitioners or Emergency Medicine doctors. In contrast, pediatric after-hours seek “moonlighting” pediatricians, often employed full-time in separate primary care and/or hospital-based practices.

How After-Hour Pediatric Services Can Help Your Child

After-hours pediatric services don’t differ drastically from regular pediatric checkups since they can usually treat minor health issues. For more pressing or “life-threatening” health conditions, these should still be treated in the emergency room.

Some of the minor health issues include the following:

Seasonal Allergies

In the spring and summer months, allergies are common. Take your child to the nearest after-hours pediatric clinic in Georgia, where medical professionals can effectively manage hay fever, skin allergies, respiratory allergies, and/or food allergies. 

Flu

The common flu doesn’t require treatment, but if your child gets dehydrated, you must take them to a pediatric clinic. The clinician will administer fluids via IV to keep your child nourished. To be safe, get a flu shot for yourself and your child.

The flu can also cause a fever. Closely monitor your child’s fever, and if it gets a high-grade fever of 100.4 degrees, seek immediate after-hours pediatric services. For other symptoms that you may be in doubt about, seek medical help too.

Insect Bites

During the summer, bug bites are common. Spider ticks and other bug bites can harm your child’s health. Seek immediate after-care attention if your child exhibits symptoms such as swollen, red skin, fever, pus, or discoloration.

Strep Throats

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes a sore, itchy throat. Take your child to an after-hours pediatric care center in Georgia, where an antibiotic may be prescribed to mitigate the annoying symptoms.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

This is a viral infection. Rash or blisters on the hands, feet, legs, or mouth are symptoms of this disease. It doesn’t require urgent care because ulcers and sores heal on their own within a couple of days. But if the symptoms are severe, consult a pediatrician.

Pink Eye

Also known as conjunctivitis, it’s a bacterial or viral infection and an allergy. Because pink eye is highly contagious, you should immediately take your child to an after-hours pediatric care facility. 

Antihistamines may be used to treat allergic conjunctivitis. If the infection is bacterial, your child may be given antibiotic eye drops, while viral conjunctivitis will be allowed to heal on its own.

Ear Infections

Common ear infections are easily treated in an urgent care setting. These are common in infants and toddlers. Look for symptoms such as ear tugging, fussiness, and fever. Bacteria usually cause ear infections, and antibiotics are prescribed in these cases. 

Sprains and Broken Bones

There is no need to be concerned if your kid has a fracture or a broken bone. Many after-hours care facilities have X-ray machines and casts for broken bones. However, if your child’s neck or back is broken, call 911 immediately. 

The Rise of Telemedicine in Georgia

Another medical option—a type of after-hours care as well—on the rise in Georgia today is telemedicine. A “visit” to a health provider via phone or computer allows children to be seen for minor injuries and illnesses. This is referred to as “telehealth” or “telemedicine”. 

You can talk to a pediatrician in Georgia using an app on your phone, and the healthcare professional can see you and your child! Telemedicine services may be available through your current provider or health system.

If you don’t have time to visit your child’s pediatrician and believe your child has a minor health issue, telemedicine is sufficient to treat your child. These health issues can be resolved with the help of telemedical services in Georgia.

Health issues covered include colds, diarrhea, fever, mild allergic reactions, minor cuts and/or burns, pink eye or conjunctivitis, rashes, and vomiting.

When Should You Call 911?

Not all health issues can be solved within your pediatrician’s clinic. In the event of a serious emergency, dial 911. Some situations are so serious that you require the assistance of trained medical personnel while on your way to the hospital. 

Consider these serious emergency cases:

• choking
• Seizure
• Serious allergic reaction
• not breathing or turning blue
• a broken bone that sticks out through the skin
• large and deep cut that causes profuse bleeding
• took an unknown amount of medicine and is now hard to rouse
• unconscious after a fall, or head heavily banged to a hard surface

How After-Hours Pediatrics Become Game Changers

As a parent, know that accidents, injuries, and illnesses rarely happen at convenient times. What if your child sprains their wrist or develops flu symptoms during regular hours? On short notice, chances are slim if they get to be seen by their pediatrician.

This is the rationale behind why after-hours pediatric care has become increasingly popular. And it has significantly boomed over the past few months.

Choose After-Hours Pediatric Services for Your Child

After-hours pediatrics in Georgia provides convenience for you and your child. Whether you’re busy at work or your child has too many daytime activities, you don’t have to sacrifice those times just to have a checkup with a pediatrician!

With after-hours pediatric services in Georgia, you can have your child checked up at night. Or, if your child gets sick during these times, a pediatrician can attend to your child’s needs. It strives not to disrupt your daytime routine activities to avail medical help.

Count on Omega Pediatrics as your expert in after-hours pediatric services. Spare emergency room visits and opt for after-hours pediatric services!

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