Millinocket Regional Hospital’s Walk-in Care facility to treat a variety of ailments
by Robbie McKay, The Lincoln News
With the opening of a new walk-in care facility in East Millinocket, MRH is offering information to the community that will help people determine whether their symptoms can be treated there, or should be seen at the emergency room.
Symptoms that can be addressed at the walk-in care facility include: cuts, burns, cough or cold, dental pain, ear aches, fever, flu, hemorrhoids, insect bites or stings, minor stomach pain, nausea, pregnancy tests, rashes, boils, or cysts, sore throat, laceration and stitches, vomiting, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and nose bleeds.
If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you should seek medical treatment at the emergency room at MRH: change in vision, chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, loss of consciousness, facial droop, garbled speech, poisoning, drug overdose, seizures, severe abdominal pain, severe burns, severe cuts/bleeding, broken bones, inability to move or speak, vomiting blood, and weakness/numbness on one side of the body. As always, call 911 if the situation warrants it.
The ER is open 24/7 to provide care at any time of the day and prioritizes patients in an order based upon the severity of symptoms. MRH Walk-In Care will be located at 87 Main Street in East Millinocket and is slated to open by the end of August. Their hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 9am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4pm. Katie Mackin, Marketing Coordinator for MRH, further commented on how the two facilities will work together to provide optimum care for the community.
“Walk-In Care will not have x-ray capabilities on site though we hope it will be something that will be added in the future. For that reason, we recommend that any condition that my require an x-ray be seen at the ER. This will allow the patient to have all of their needs met at one location. If, during a patient’s visit at Walk-In Care it is determined that they need further testing done at MRH such as an x-ray or blood work, the patient will receive a ‘fast pass’. The fast pass will move the patient to the top of the wait list, so that they can be seen upon arrival; providing a seamless transition and continuous care,” she offered.
Typically, Walk-In Care will have a lower co-pay and overall cost than an ER visit. Both places accept insurance as well as private pay. Patients can save time and money by selecting the correct facility.
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About Millinocket Regional Hospital
Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) is a 25 bed Critical Access Hospital nestled at the base of Baxter State Park that provides vital healthcare services to those who live, work and play in the Katahdin Region. Beyond the friendly staff and award-winning patient care, MRH provides an impressive range of specialty and general services; with a recent expansion resulting in the addition of eight new specialties and a Walk-In Care facility. In 2016, MRH was recognized as the Cleanest Hospital in New England by Becker’s Hospital Review and received a five star rating on the Medicare Quality Scale. Providing jobs to approximately 250 people, MRH is the largest employer in the Katahdin Region and a crucial economic force within its community. For more information, please visit www.mrhme.org or www.facebook.com/MillinocketRegionalHospital