Distinctly Montana Magazine

41 w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m How do I know if I need to go to Orthopedic Urgent Care, urgent care, or the emergency department? "If you are in enough pain that you need immediate pain medicine, be advised that we don't have narcotics or acute pain medicine like the Emergency Department does. Musculoskeletal issues can be triaged here in Orthopedic Urgent Care, and we can get you to the Emergency Department if need be. If you have significant bleeding that's hard to stop, go to the Emergency Department. We can take care of dislocated shoulders, but if something else is dislocated, such as a hip or elbow, go to the Emergency Department. Urgent care is ideal for illnesses and minor injuries that aren't an emergency, and urgent care offers walk-in hours beyond Orthopedic Urgent Care." How does going to Orthopedic Urgent Care directly help with a better result? "You get specialty care from an orthopedic expert the same day, which is something I'm grateful we get to offer to the community. If your situation does need more care than a walk-in visit, such as surgery, you have immediate access to orthopedic surgeons for direct care. We do get referrals from people who go to a regular walk-in care or the Emergency Department. They will make sure your injury or ailment isn't going to kill you, bandage you up, help with pain relief, but often people end up here for a further workup. If you have an orthopedic complaint, come here and skip the extra step." What kind of treatments did you do today? "Every day we see shining cases of why Orthopedic Urgent Care works. Today we had a 5-year-old with a broken arm who got an X-ray and a cast with us. Once the cast was on, his pain was immediately a lot better." What other services do you offer at Orthopedic Urgent Care? "I do a lot of ultrasounds for injections and diagnostics. We look at muscle and tendon tears. You don't have to wait weeks for an MRI. We have very fast X-ray and ultrasound machines as an extension of the exam. We also do regenerative medicine with PRP – platelet rich plasma – for muscle or tendon injuries to promote more rapid healing." Where is Benefis Orthopedic Urgent Care? You can find same-day care at the Benefis Orthopedic Center of Montana at 1401 25th St. S. in Great Falls and coming soon to the Benefis Helena Specialty Center at 1645 Vandelay Ave. How do I make an appointment? Walk-in care is available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. You don't need an appointment, but you can schedule online to skip the wait. Visit Benefis.org/OrthoUrgentCare Orthopedic Urgent Care Could Be the Right Step When Things Go Wrong A social media challenge gone wrong, a slip while walking the dog, or a bucking rodeo bronc with a little too much buck are all reasons people end up in Benefis Orthopedic Urgent Care. "We see any musculoskeletal complaint from broken toes to concussions," said Flint Ray, DO. "We see a lot of neck pain, back pain, arthritis of any joint, sports-related injuries, muscle and tendon injuries, and fractures." Dr. Ray, a sports medicine physician in Orthopedic Urgent Care, treats every patient as an athlete aiming to get back in the game – even if the "game" is as simple as a daily walk. He answers questions below about what Orthopedic Urgent Care is all about.

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