For Existing PHCA Patients:
Urgent Care hours are from noon to 8 p.m. (last check in 30 minutes before close) Monday through Thursday for existing patients. Over time, we hope to expand to weekend coverage and open up services to new patients and families, too.
For you and your family, this means that you can gain easy access to our pediatric clinical expertise for those occasions when you didn’t plan for it.
How do I schedule a visit?
You can access an Urgent Care visit two ways – 1) through MyChart and 2) our new direct phone appointment line: 978-818-8580.
To pre-book an arrival time online, log in to MyChart with your mobile app. From the main menu, choose ‘Schedule an Appointment,’ then select ‘Urgent Care’ from the ‘Tell us why you’re coming in’ section. On the next screen choose your arrival time from the available times.
Currently, if you are experiencing symptoms that may be consistent with COVID-19, you will not be able to pre-book an arrival time online. Please call the direct scheduling number above, and one of our staff members will be happy to assist you.
Why would I use Urgent Care?
Having the right care option means that we want to keep care convenient and close to home.
Most importantly, we want our patients and families to avoid using a hospital emergency department, where wait times can be long, waiting rooms crowded and noisy, the cost higher, and in many cases, little knowledge of a patient’s medical history or pediatric expertise is available.
What are examples of the kind of care I can access through PHCA’s Urgent Care?
Think of PHCA Urgent Care as your team for acute pediatric care visits, when you need on-site lab results, x-rays and our expert pediatric clinical team to treat illnesses and injuries such as:
- mild breathing difficulty (e.g. asthma) or persistent coughs (e.g. bronchitis or pneumonia)
- fever, flu or sore throat
- abdominal pain
- digestive issues including vomiting, diarrhea or dehydration
- infections (e.g. eye, ear, skin, urinary tract)
- skin rashes, abscesses or boils
We are also ready to treat patients for their injuries and accidents:
- non-life threatening burns
- sports-related injuries (e.g. sprains and fractures)
- cuts and lacerations
- insect or animal bites
- foreign body removal
- other non-life-threatening injuries and conditions
We recommend calling the office for an appointment with your PCP or Care Team member for any ongoing or chronic issues as well as any behavioral or mental health concerns that would not be appropriate for an Urgent Care visit, such as:
- chronic headaches
- chronic abdominal pain
- chronic fatigue
- anxiety
- depression
What to expect when you visit
We encourage setting up an arrival time online or by phone. Once you arrive our clinical triage team will check you in to ensure that any patient who needs immediate medical attention be cared for as quickly as possible.
Our team of Urgent Care clinicians will address your acute medical needs, and arrange for any necessary follow up with your PHCA PCP or member of your Care Team. A summary of your visit, highlighting any medications needed or follow-up care will be provided for you at the visit, and also available on your MyChart patient portal.
When should I visit a Hospital Emergency Department or call 911?
If the condition or injury is severe or potentially life threatening, such as:
- difficulty breathing
- loss of consciousness or other changes in mental status
- severe burns
- confusion or other changes in mental status
- seizures
How will I be billed?
Urgent Care visits will be billed through your insurance, just as other medical visits to PHCA are. Regular office visit co-payments will apply. Account guarantors will be responsible for any additional charges (deductibles) not covered by your insurance.
PHCA Urgent Care is here to provide our patients the access to the high-touch expert pediatric care you have come to expect for your family. Look to us first for your acute care needs, provided in an environment, and with the technology necessary, for the care of children, teens and young adults, all within your medical home.