Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 3, 2022

8 By Kim Anderson There is nothing like a primary care physician or provider (PCP) who knows your health history, understands your allergies and takes the time to talk to you as a friend. With life’s busy schedules, though, sometimes it’s hard to see your PCP as quickly as you would like. If your situation needs quick attention but isn’t so serious that you need to go to the hospital emergency department, a trip to urgent care might be just what the doctor ordered. Urgent cares specialize in quick treatment for minor emergencies. Ear infections, sprains, cuts, sore throats and more can all be cared for quickly and without the expense of a trip to the emergency department. Closer ties This past March when Kootenai Health implemented its new electronic health record system, Epic, it created an even closer tie between the hospital and Kootenai Urgent Care. “Epic gave us the ability to put Kootenai Health and Kootenai Urgent Care as well as Kootenai Outpatient Imaging, Kootenai Outpatient Surgery and every Kootenai Clinic practice on the same electronic health record system,” said Ryan Smith, Kootenai Health’s chief information officer. “Being on the same system means every time you see a care provider, they have access to all your information. If you go to the hospital and receive a medication, then a month later go to Kootenai Urgent Care, they can look up exactly what you were given, what the dose was and when you received it.” Fewerbilling statements With the change to the same electronic health record, Kootenai Urgent Care patients will notice another change. “Patients receiving care at any Kootenai Health facility, including Kootenai Urgent Care, will now receive one bill that includes the care they have received at any Kootenai Health facility for the month,” said Shelley Woodward, Kootenai Health’s executive director of revenue cycle operations. “This means patients have fewer separate bills to review and manage.” With this deeper integration, ONE CONNECTED TEAM Kootenai Urgent Care + Kootenai Health = Kootenai Urgent Care has also adopted Kootenai Health’s blue and green “spark” logo. “Our team has been eager to have a logo and colors that look more like Kootenai Health,” said Shelley Janke, executive director of Kootenai Clinic’s primary care division. “With everyone moving to the Epic electronic health record and closer alignment with Kootenai Health, the timing was finally right to make the change.” Save time Need to visit Kootenai Urgent Care? You can get in line before you leave home! Visit kootenaiurgentcare.com and click on “Get In Line Now.” Questions? Call (208) 625-3600.

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