Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital Emergency Room Conversion to Urgent Care Center

News Release

Date:
September 17, 2007

Contact:
Eric Earnhart
Carilion Strategic Development
Telephone (540)224-4966

CARILION URGENT CARE OPENS AT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL ON SEPTEMBER 21

Community Hospital’s emergency room will close on September 20th – all emergency patients will be treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital

ROANOKE, Va. (September 17, 2007) On Thursday, September 20 at 10:00 p.m., the emergency room at Carilion Roanoke Community hospital will be closed. From that point forward, all Carilion emergency patients will be treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
On Friday, September 21st, at 7:30 am, Carilion Urgent Care will open in the space formerly occupied by the Emergency Department. Urgent care is designed for patients who have an illness or injury that needs to be addressed quickly, but is not an “emergency”. No appointment is necessary. Urgent Care patients are seen by a doctor in the order they register, and, unlike an Emergency Department, do not have to wait while patients with more serious illness or injuries are treated. Carilion Urgent Care – Community Hospital will be open daily, from 7:30 am to 10 pm.

Illnesses and injuries that should be treated at Carilion Urgent Care – Community Hospital include:

· Minor cuts and lacerations
· Sprains
· Earaches
· Colds, coughs and sore throat
· Skin rashes
· Insect bites, minor animal bites
· Minor cooking burns
· Minor injuries

Illnesses and injures that MUST be treated at the closest emergency department, such as the one at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

· Loss of consciousness
· Heart attack symptoms
· Stroke symptoms
· Difficulty breathing
· Uncontrolled bleeding
· Sudden, severe pain
· Poisoning
· Head trauma
· Coughing up or vomiting blood
· Severe or persistent vomiting
· Suicidal feelings

In addition, Carilion continues to offer urgent care at Carilion Urgent Care – Roanoke, open at 3369 Colonial Avenue since 2005. Carilion Urgent Care – Roanoke is open from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, and from 12 pm to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday.
For more information about Carilion Urgent Care, call Carilion Clinic at 266-6000, or visit www.carilion.com for a simple home guide that will help you determine whether an illness or injury requires urgent care or emergency care.





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