Mission / Weslaco / Harlingen – Patients in the Rio Grande Valley can now pick the time they wish to come to the emergency room (for non-life-threatening cases) at Mission Regional Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center, and Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco.
The convenient new “GetCareNow” scheduling tool is now available on the websites of the three Prime Healthcare hospitals in the Valley (www.MissionRMC.org, www.HarlingenMedicalCenter.com, and www.KnappMed.org).
Valley residents who utilize the online scheduling tool can wait in the comfort of their home until their appointment time.
Patients who use the new “GetCareNow” feature to reserve an appointment for non-life-threatening care will be given priority over “walk-in” patients with similar symptoms. However, as always, highest priority will be given to patients with life-threatening conditions.
For life-threatening or limb-threatening conditions — such as a severe injury or illness, chest pain, shortness of breath, or signs of stroke or heart attack — Valley residents should continue to call 911 and proceed via ambulance to a full-service emergency department at an acute care hospital — such as Mission Regional Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center or Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco.
For non-life-threatening cases, GetCareNow™ is very easy to use. Patients fill out a brief, secure form, in English or Spanish, with no username or password required.
GetCareNow™ assigns each patient a time slot (based on availability) and reserves their space in line. Patients using GetCareNow ™ will receive a confirmation with details and directions.
“This convenient new service is another way that we are committed to providing members of the community with an enhanced emergency room experience — furthering our mission to provide the very best care to our patients, when and where they need it,” said Dr. Heriberto Alanis, Medical Director for the Emergency Department at Mission Regional Medical Center.
“Our priority is to provide patients with an exceptional experience — and that includes the ability for patients to schedule an appointment online and wait safely at home,” said Dr. Ruddy Valdes, ER Medical Director for Harlingen Medical Center and Knapp Medical Center. “We know life is busy, and our team of caregivers in the emergency room is pleased to be able to ease the stress involved in these situations. We always strive to deliver the very best care.”
While GetCareNow™ reserves the patient’s spot in the emergency room, it does NOT guarantee the patient will be seen at the exact appointment time, since various factors can affect the time, including urgency of medical needs and patient volumes in the ER.
The online tool can notify the patient if there is a change that may extend the patient’s wait. In addition, a notification can be sent if the patient is able to be seen sooner than the appointment time.
GetCareNow™ is a feature of the newly-designed websites for Mission Regional Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center, and Knapp Medical Center. The new websites offer a modernized web presence and support a “digital patient journey” across the care setting.
In addition, patients can utilize the websites to find doctors of various specialties from across the Valley.
For more information on medical care in the Valley – or to utilize the GetCareNow feature – please visit www.MissionRMC.org, www.HarlingenMedicalCenter.com, or www.KnappMed.org/.
