Sick on Christmas? Tips for You & Your Teen
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Most holiday gatherings mean loved ones sitting elbow-to-elbow, eating and drinking together. It doesn’t help that winter holidays fall within prime flu season when it can already be difficult to avoid getting sick. So, of course, people get sick more during the holiday season. This makes this time of year a busy time for hospitals and urgent care centers.
However, you or your teen’s doctor might not work on Christmas Day. This means you may have to take a different approach to getting a doctor’s care: virtual care.
Your family doesn’t have to suffer through an illness that strikes on Christmas Day. BJC Medical Group’s telehealth, or telemedicine, is a convenient and affordable way to see a provider for a treatment plan and a prescription, if necessary. For this, BJC Medical Group doctors and nurse practitioners provide virtual care seven days a week, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Virtual care is available to anyone age 12 and older to treat minor illnesses or injuries, no matter which doctor your teen normally sees.
What Can I be Treated for in a Virtual Visit?
Virtual visits are appropriate for minor illnesses and injuries that don’t require emergency treatment, such as:
- Earaches
- Sinus infection
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion
- Rashes
- Burns
- Minor cuts
- Urinary tract infections
- Gynecological concerns
- Cold and flu
- Upper respiratory infection
- COVID testing
What to Expect During a Virtual Care Visit
A virtual care visit lets you connect with a doctor or nurse practitioner through video conference. You will discuss your medical situation and symptoms with the provider, just as you would in person. The provider will evaluate your illness or injury, review your medical history, and prescribe a treatment plan and prescription medication if needed.
How to Schedule Virtual Care
Your teen will need a MyChart account. Instructions on how to set this up, as well as information on how you can be granted full proxy access to additional medical information, can be found on the MyChart FAQ page.
Once the account is established, visit the BJC Virtual Care page and select an appointment time that works for you. The online scheduling tool will prompt you to fill in your teen’s personal information, reason for the visit, and sign up for a MyChart account to securely connect with the BJC provider.
Please note that you must be physically located in Missouri or Illinois to take advantage of BJC virtual care services. If you are going out of town and you or your teen gets sick or injured, you’ll need to find a care provider in that area.
What to do for Emergency Care
If your teen’s symptoms do not improve, or if they are experiencing a life-threatening emergency such as chest pain, an injury with heavy bleeding, or a possible stroke, you should call an ambulance or go immediately to your nearest emergency room for medical attention.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital has six pediatric E.R. locations across the St. Louis and southern Illinois region. These include St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Memorial Hospital Belleville, Children’s Hospital at Memorial Hospital Shiloh, Children’s Hospital at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Children’s Hospital at Northwest HealthCare, and Children’s Hospital at Progress West Hospital.
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