Accessing medical care for urgent issues

Whether you are suffering from a cough or cold, flu, bee sting, poison oak, fractured wrist, asthma attack, chest pains, head trauma, or symptoms suggesting stroke, Montage Health is there for you — ready, willing, and able to help. The key to receiving quick and appropriate treatment lies in understanding which of Montage Health’s care venues is equipped to provide the care you need.

When a patient is willing and able to wait for medical intervention, they can and should make an appointment with their primary care doctor. When the situation seems more urgent, a patient can access medical care via an eVisit, MoGo Urgent Care, or the Emergency department at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

24/7 eVisits

For ailments that are not life-threatening, the eVisit program can provide a diagnosis, treatment plan, and, if needed, a medical referral or prescription, all within the comfort of your home. Patients complete an online questionnaire to determine whether the issue is appropriate for an eVisit, and within 10 minutes to an hour, they’ll receive a response from a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

Perhaps you spent the day hiking amid the untamed beauty of Big Sur and came home with what looks and feels like the start of a poison oak-induced rash. Even before the itchy red patch begins to weep, you upload a snapshot of your inflamed skin from your smartphone, respond to some relevant questions, and, within minutes, receive treatment advice and confirmation that a prescription has been sent to your local pharmacy.

“The eVisit is an extremely convenient way for patients to access information and advice from home,” says Dr. Mark Carvalho, Chief Executive Officer with Montage Medical Group. “Patients call doctors for advice all the time, and while we can’t set a broken bone during an eVisit, there are many simple things we can do to address low-acuity situations, such as a respiratory infection, bug bite, or rash, through a review of the patient’s symptoms.”

MoGo Urgent Care

With increasing urgency for patients who want or feel the need for an in-person medical visit, MoGo Urgent Care offers the next level of treatment. MoGo, which stands for Montage on the Go, is an urgent care facility dedicated to addressing patients with a non-life-threatening illness or injury that warrants immediate medical attention.

Picture it: the three MoGo facilities, located in Carmel, Monterey, and Marina, are quiet, clean, and welcoming. While the wait may be brief, it’s nice to know the waiting area is artful, inviting, and clean, with comfortable seating, coffee, and tea.

“We want patients to feel as comfortable as possible,” says Chris Stegge, Chief Operating Officer of MoGo Urgent Care. “We opened MoGo to provide more services during longer, more convenient hours, and to do so differently, with a more compassionate approach to care than the traditional urgent care model.” At MoGo, he says, staff can perform a physical assessment, run labs, take X-rays, dispense certain medications, and administer splints and stitches.

Emergency Care

Community Hospital’s Emergency department provides the highest level of urgent and emergency care. Staff are prepared to address life-threatening medical emergencies including respiratory distress, symptoms of stroke or heart attack, severe allergic reactions, and severe injuries. This clean and quiet space creates a welcoming, safe, and comfortable environment. The Emergency department also has a Crisis Stabilization Unit, with sections for adults and children, that provides a faster and more focused pathway for emergency mental health support.

“A fair number of people who come into the Emergency department don’t have a primary care doctor, or couldn’t get in to see theirs in time,” says Emergency department and Clinical Decision Unit Director Christy Soboleski. “When a patient arrives, we work hard to rule out life-threatening issues.” The patient’s care is overseen by board-certified emergency medicine physicians with access to a myriad of clinical experts and technology.

For patients experiencing unusual and severe discomfort — the worst headache ever, bleeding, severe abdominal or back pain, and patients who have a history of a significant disease such as cancer, diabetes, or cardiac disease — the Emergency department, says Soboleski, is the place to go. “I take pride in my Emergency department and what we do.”