Care when you need it: Urgent care and extended hours offerings

Imagine that it's 5:30 pm on a weeknight, and when you pick up your daughter from daycare, you realize that she's lethargic and her cough has gotten much worse. Or it's a Saturday morning, and you twist your ankle when you're out for a run and can barely hobble home. We've all been there. Sometimes illnesses and injuries crop up that aren't serious enough to require an emergency room visit, but do require medical care. And if your primary care office is closed when you need to see a doctor, it can feel like there aren't any good options.

To address these sorts of care gaps and provide UCLA Health patients with more convenient and comprehensive coverage, we've expanded the number of offices open on evenings, weekends and holidays. Each of these offices holds same-day slots for urgent medical issues; some allow walk-ins, and don't require an appointment .

If you're already a UCLA Health patient and visit one of these offices, our physicians and staff can access and update your electronic medical record. This means that your primary care physician remains in the loop, and can provide any follow-up care. If you're new to UCLA Health and go to an urgent appointment at one of our offices, we can address your medical need and then help you find a primary care physician to provide your ongoing and preventive care.

Services at urgent care and extended hours offices are available for patients of all ages, and include:

• X-rays
• Casts, splints, laceration repair and suture removal
• Treatment for acute illnesses, such as fever, ear infections and influenza
• Treatment for bites, burns, sunburns and other skin irritations
• Ear and eye irrigation
• Breathing treatments

Additionally, our three evaluation and treatment centers in Santa Monica, Santa Clarita and Redondo Beach, offer some additional services, which may include:

• IV hydration and IV antibiotics
• Electrolyte replacement
• EKGs (Santa Monica only)
• Wound irrigation, packing and dressing
• Respiratory nebulizer treatment
• Central line care (Santa Monica only)

PLEASE NOTE: All UCLA Health offices bill urgent visits as regular doctor's appointments. Always call ahead to ensure that there are appointments available and that the office is open—especially on holidays.

Locations:

Playa Marina Urgent Care(Link opens in new window) 4560 Admiralty Way, Suite 100, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 Phone: 310-827-3700(Link opens phone app) Hours: Weekdays, 9 am - 9 pm; weekends and holidays, 9 am - 6 pm-Walk-in appointments available-

Santa Monica Urgent Care(Link opens in new window) 2424 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403 Phone: 310-828-4530(Link opens phone app) Hours: Weekdays, 9 am - 9 pm; weekends and holidays, 9 am - 6 pm-Walk-in only clinic-

Westwood - Pediatrics only 200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 265, Los Angeles, CA 90095 Phone: 310-825-0867(Link opens phone app) Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 am - 7 pm; Friday, 9 am - 4 pm; Saturday, 9 am - 3 pm

Malibu(Link opens in new window) 23815 Stuart Ranch Road, Suite 300, Malibu, CA 90265 Phone: 310-456-1668(Link opens phone app) Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 8 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm

For an updated list of urgent care and extended hours clinics, visit uclahealth.org/urgentcare(Link opens in new window)

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This content ran in the Summer 2018 issue of The Checkup(Link opens in new window), a UCLA Health community newsletter on how to live your healthiest live.