Luka Fatato, a three-year-old, recently experienced an accident at home while dancing. He slipped and hit his face on a coffee table, leading to a situation where stitches were necessary. “I knew pretty immediately he would need sutures or stitches,” said Jayde Fatato, Luka’s mother. They sought help at Albany Med EmUrgentCare in Rotterdam due to previous positive experiences there.
The attending doctor determined that Luka required mild sedation for the procedure because of the wound’s location on his upper lip. Consequently, they were referred to the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center at Albany Medical Center.
Albany Med Health System provides urgent care services with a focus on children and maintains connections with pediatric specialists at Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital for consultations and referrals. “When we got to the hospital, everyone knew why we were there and what we were doing,” noted Jayde Fatato, expressing satisfaction with the prompt treatment her son received.
Dr. Jacqueline Weaver emphasized the benefits of the direct link between Albany Med EmUrgentCares and pediatric emergency physicians: “The direct link…creates a unique opportunity for patients and families to be assured they are getting the best care in the most convenient and accessible setting.” She highlighted cases where complex conditions require collaboration with pediatric specialists.
Brooke Zimmermann mentioned that having a unified documentation system like Epic has streamlined communication among healthcare teams: “Having one documentation system has made it much easier to communicate.” This integration reduces referral lead times and enhances patient care continuity.
Dr. Weaver stated that most urgent care patients can be managed and discharged effectively but stressed that more serious cases are referred appropriately within their network: “The overwhelming majority of our urgent care patients can be taken care of and discharged.”
To enhance expertise within community settings, Albany Med EmUrgentCare providers receive specialized training led by Drs. Carrie Danziger and Alison Spear. These efforts ensure readiness for various pediatric emergencies. Dr. Weaver added, “We put a lot of effort into making sure that our providers feel comfortable seeing kids.”
Additionally, Albany Med EmUrgentCare collaborates with school nurses across six regional districts through direct video connections, improving access to urgent care clinicians. Dr. Weaver remarked on these improvements: “These enhancements improve patient access and allow us to truly be integrated into the community.”
The team also supports local events by providing first aid services onsite, further extending their reach into community health initiatives.
