Acute Hospital
At Frontier, we utilize a patient-centered approach to diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses and injuries.
What is Acute Care Management? Acute care diagnosis and treatment is required for the occurrence of sudden and unexpected medical conditions. This can be the result of an accident or a sudden illness.
The following is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the evaluation and care of your primary care physician. Examples of acute illnesses and injuries are:
Various types of pathogens cause respiratory infections. Symptoms can include a sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, fever, and fatigue. Risk factors are exposure to others with similar symptoms through personal contact or touching an object that carries the pathogen. Respiratory infections are easily transmitted in the household.
Prevention includes covering your face when coughing or sneezing and frequent washing of hands.
While many respiratory infections do not require a physician’s care, those with severe symptoms should be evaluated by their doctor. Treatment can include antihistamines, acetaminophen, nutritional supplements, and in some cases, antibiotics.
Viral influenza can present with a combination of symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, a cough, and a sore throat. The flu is transmitted through contact with others, and the most frequent complication is pneumonia. Medical attention is needed if you have trouble breathing, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, or a high fever. Those at risk of serious complications are pregnant women, young children, people over the age of 65, or those with underlying medical conditions.
Treatment can include rest, fluids, acetaminophen, and anti-viral medications.
Urinary Tract Infections are prevalent in females, the elderly populations, those using catheters, or patients with neurological conditions that affect the bladder. Symptoms may include pain or difficulty urinating and fever. A urine sample can diagnose this disorder and identify the appropriate treatment regime to be ordered by a physician.
Ear infections can be of bacterial, fungal, or viral origin. Although more common in children, adults are often in need of treatment for this condition. Symptoms include pain, a sensation that sound is muffled, dizziness, ear discharge, and fever. Contributing risk factors are upper respiratory infections, air pressure changes such as airline travel, swimming in polluted waters, or deformities in the anatomy of the ear. Treatment can include antibiotics, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Skin infections can occur through a pathogen entering the skin, perhaps due to a break in the skin through a recent injury. Other risk factors include an accumulation of fluid due to poor circulation or being overweight.
Skin infections can be chronic or acute conditions, and there are various types, such as cellulitis, abscesses, and boils. Treatment may include antibiotics and keeping the area clean and dry.
Sprains and strains are injuries to the ligaments, muscles, or tendons.
The goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation and pain. Depending on the severity of the injury, your primary care physician will evaluate and order the proper therapy for healing. A treatment regime can include rest, ice or heat, supportive bandaging, elevation to reduce swelling, and physiotherapy to assist in the recovery.
Simple lacerations require attention by a primary care physician when the wound is large, deep, or is contaminated with dirt or another foreign body. Your physician will evaluate the injury for infection, which can delay closure with sutures, wound closure adhesive, or steri-strips. Antibiotics can be ordered if there is a high risk of infection, such as cases of poor circulation, deep punctures, or contaminated wounds.
