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Whether you’re on post or on leave anywhere in Europe, your needs and guidelines for a visit to an emergency room remain essentially the same.
And in all cases, basic awareness of what to do and expect can make the experience easier and less stressful, said Col. (Dr.) Jeff Lawson, chief of emergency medicine and primary care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
“If you’re concerned and in doubt about going to the ER, it’s better to be seen than not, and better to be safe than sorry, whether here at LRMC or on the German economy,” Dr. Lawson said. “If you feel you need to be seen now, that’s what we’re here for.”
And when you’re away from home and in need of an ER, Dr. Lawson said high-quality healthcare remains the same, and that assistance is available by phone around the clock at the International SOS TRICARE Europe Call Center at 0044-208-762-8133. The center will guide you to the nearest healthcare facility and help you sort out the paperwork with TRICARE for reimbursement. A call center operator said they attempt to include hospitals with English-speaking healthcare providers.
However, when treated at a European emergency room you should be seen within a week by your TRICARE primary care manager. And if you are referred for follow-up care with a specialist as part of your ER visit, Dr. Lawson said those visits also need to be coordinated first with TRICARE.
But even when at home station, the decision whether to visit the ER or wait for treatment with your primary care managers may not always be clear. In those instances, Dr. Lawson said help is available 24/7 by phone with the TRICARE Nurse Advice Line in most European countries toll-free at 00800-4759-2330. Registered nurses can answer questions, provide self-care advice and help you decide if you need to seek immediate care. Contact information for countries not included at the phone number above can be found at www.europe.tricare.osd.mil.
Although Dr. Lawson encourages people to use the ER when they feel it’s necessary, he also reminds people of situations it is not designed for, such as an after-hours primary care clinic or a place for medicine refills.
And when people do visit an ER, Dr. Lawson said increasing patient awareness is beneficial to patients and practitioners:
• Show up with a list of all medications you are taking or be prepared to provide the information.
• Be aware that care is provided on a priority basis based on order of urgency.
• Your level of treatment determines the length of stay.
An attempt is made to keep visits less than six hours, but factors, such as requiring one hour for lab test results, can lengthen your stay.
Such actions help people become an active part of their health care, said Dr. Lawson. He encourages people to ask questions during their visit because, when it comes to a visit to the ER, as well as any visit to a healthcare facility, “All of it centers around the patient.”
(Courtesy of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Public Affairs)
