Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Calvert, and Charles counties

Care when you need it: Kaiser Permanente urgent care

With your Kaiser Permanente urgent care center, you get:

• Doctors and staff who know you.
• Better medicine.
• Less wait time than a hospital emergency room.

We know about your health
The physicians who treat you at our urgent care centers are Permanente doctors with access to your electronic medical record, the same one used by your primary care physician, your specialists, and your pharmacist. They can view information about your medical conditions, surgeries and treatments, allergies, the medications you are taking, and more. Your primary care physician will even be able to view what care you received in urgent care after your visit.

Doctors at other clinics and hospitals don’t have your personal health information at hand. No one knows more about your health than Kaiser Permanente. 

It’s better medicine
All Kaiser Permanente urgent care centers offer general radiology (X-ray), lab, and pharmacy services, plus the ability to administer IVs on-site. That adds up to high-quality medicine for you.

Urgent Care Plus locations are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for your convenience and have extended treatment and observation capabilities, including advanced imaging (such as CT scans) and cardiac monitoring.

It’s more than your average exam room.

Kaiser Permanente Urgent Care Centers vs. the Emergency Room

Urgent Care	The ER
Shorter wait times. Call for a check-in time and providers will take care of you as soon as possible.	Average wait times at emergency rooms are more than 4 hours.*
Average copays of $20 to $30**	Average copays of $100 to $125.**
Physicians and staff know you.	Most hospitals don’t have your Kaiser Permanente medical record and you’ll see a physician who isn’t familiar with your history.
Lab, pharmacy, and X-ray all under one roof.	You may need to drive to a pharmacy to fill a prescription after your visit.
An advice nurse can give you directions to the closest medical center.	You might not be sure where the closest hospital is.

Your Kaiser Permanente urgent care centers are here to take care of you. Find a location online.

One call does it all: For 24-hour medical advice, and to make or change appointments, call 1-800-777-7904 or TTY 1-800-700-4901.

*According to the American College of Emergency Physicians. Information accessed on April 9, 2012.

**These are average copays for federal employees. Please check your Evidence of Coverage.

***If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

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Be safe in the summer heat

If the temperature is lower than 80°F (27°C), you can typically get active outside without taking extra precautions. It depends on how active you already are and how used to hot weather you are. Older adults and children are at a higher risk for heat-related illness and should be extra cautious. Remind children to drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after activity.

Anytime you exercise, it's a good idea to take these precautions:

• Drink plenty of water. This is very important when it’s hot out and when you do intense exercise.
• Don't exercise as hard when it's hot. Take rest breaks. Exercise more slowly than usual or for a shorter time.
• Stay in the shade when you can.
• Avoid exercising during the hottest times of the day.
• Wear light-colored, breathable clothes.
• Watch for signs of heat exhaustion, such as nausea, dizziness, cramps, and headache. If you notice any signs, stop your activity right away, cool off, and drink fluids.

When the temperature gets above 80°F, consider the heat and the humidity. Both can put you at risk for heat-related illness. The hotter or more humid it is, the higher your risk.

When it’s very humid, be careful at even lower temperatures. Higher humidity can make it feel hotter, since your body cannot cool off as well by sweating. This puts you at a greater risk for illness.

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you have stopped sweating or have other signs of heatstroke, such as a fast heart rate, passing out, high body temperature, feeling confused, or having no energy. Heatstroke is very dangerous.

Learn more about staying safe and active during the summer months, including specific information about being outdoors and activities you can do inside.

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Take a Healthy Living class from the comfort of home

Want to learn how to lose weight or lower your blood pressure, all from the comfort of your home? Try one of our online classes.*

Register online for the online class about nutrition for weight control, scheduled for August 14. In October, look out for an online high blood pressure class and in November, online classes for pre-diabetes and smoking cessation.

Browse online classes. Simply select Maryland/Virginia/Washington, D.C. then scroll down and click on webinars.

Make your appointment online. Space is limited. Make sure you reserve your space in the August 14 Nutrition for Weight Control class today.

*Some classes require a fee.

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Take a Healthy Living class

As a Kaiser Permanente member, you can choose from a variety of Healthy Living classes at little or no cost. Below is a partial list for the upcoming month in your area.

Learn about additional classes and any class fees.

To register for InStep and nutrition classes, call the appointment line at 703-359-7878 or
1-800-777-7904, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For prenatal classes, speak with your obstetrician-gynecologist to register. For all other classes, call the health education automated line, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 301-816-6565 or 1-800-444-6696. Please leave a message and someone will call you back within 24 business hours.

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Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. 2101 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, Maryland 20852