Here are some helpful tips to help you determine whether the medical care you need is something that should be treated at the Covenant Emergency Room, one of five Covenant MedExpress locations or with a virtual urgent care appointment.
Emergency Room Care
Be sure to call 911 or have someone take you to the emergency room if you:
You have symptoms of a heart attack. In the case of a heart attack, getting to the hospital quickly is critical. Symptoms of heart attack include:
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
- Lightheadedness, fainting, cold sweat or nausea
- Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
- Heart palpitations
- Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
Most heart attack patients will have some but not all these symptoms. If you have any of the above symptoms, get to the nearest emergency room.
You have symptoms of a stroke. The sooner stroke victims are treated, the better their chances are for survival and full recovery. Early signs of a stroke include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side
- Sudden confusion or trouble understanding
- Sudden speech difficulties
- Sudden vision problems in one or both eyes
- Sudden dizziness or loss of balance
- Sudden severe headache with no apparent cause
Other reasons for emergency room care include severe abdominal pain, loss of consciousness, limb numbness, car accident injury, head or neck injury, seizures, psychiatric disorders, overdoses, child abuse, assault including rape, bleeding/cramping during pregnancy, or any health issue for infants under 6 weeks.
MedExpress
When you can’t get to your primary care doctor and a condition isn’t serious enough for the emergency room, Covenant MedExpress offers five different locations across Saginaw year- round. Here, advance check-in allows you to reserve your spot online to avoid a long wait.
MedExpress physicians can diagnose and treat:
- Respiratory virus and flu
- Ear, sinus and throat infections
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Mild to moderate dehydration
- Mild to moderate asthma
- Rashes and allergic reactions
- Sprains, strains and simple fractures
- Minor burns and cuts
- Mild injuries
- Animal and insect bites/stings
- Eye injuries/pink eye
- Sports injuries
- Flu shots
- Sports physicals
Virtual Urgent Care Visit
From the convenience and safety of home, you can meet virtually with Covenant urgent care experts through the MyChart app if your symptoms are limited to the following:
- COVID-19
- Cough
- Cold and flu
- Sinus
- Cold Sore
- Head lice
- Gout
- Impetigo
- Insect bite
- Rash
- Minor burn
- Sunburn
- Pinkeye
- Styes
- Poison ivy
- Ring worm
- Sore throat
- Laryngitis
- Swimmer’s ear
If you have a question, Covenant Care Connect will connect you to the personalized care you need – whatever your needs are. Just call or text (989) 583-3135 or connect with your MyChart app.