Righttime Medical Care Prepared for Ebola

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Righttime Medical Care, one the region's largest urgent medical care providers, is preparing for the threat of the Ebola virus. Righttime's clinical and support teams are preparing to professionally and safely address any patient who calls or visits the company's Care Centers, in line with evolving CDC guidelines.

Righttime is actively coordinating with the local hospitals and health departments where its 13 Care Centers are located to make arrangements for communication regarding suspected Ebola patients. Because Righttime Care Centers have extended hours from 7am to midnight, including weekends and holidays, special arrangements often need to be made to ensure that health departments can be responsive, especially after hours and on weekends.

"We have been very pleased with the response of the Montgomery, Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel and Frederick County Health Departments, who have worked with us to ensure that we can have access to them during the hours we are open, which extend well beyond their regular working hours," says Robert G. Graw, Jr., M.D, CEO of Righttime. "At this time of fear and worry among patients, we want the public to know that there are many resources in the community being coordinated to protect them."

Additionally, Righttime's Call Center, which makes appointments for more than 80% of patients seen, has instituted a screening system for all calls to determine whether patients have traveled to countries identified by the CDC for Ebola, and allowing Righttime to coordinate their care with a suitable local healthcare facility or hospital rather than coming to the urgent care center.

At Righttime, patients are always encouraged to call ahead for an appointment so that they can wait at home until their designated appointment time. Through its 24-hour Communication and Resource Center, Righttime has implemented strict guidelines for suspected Ebola patients, including arranging for immediate consultation with the supervising medical director as well as isolated patient transport to hospitals.

According to Dr. Graw, "Our Call and Communication and Resource Centers have allowed us to respond to the Ebola threat in a way that others can't, and should minimize the risk to patients and staff with suspected transmissible diseases such as Ebola. Protocols and educational training, and coordination with our local healthcare partners, are key to containing Ebola. We also remind everyone that Ebola is extremely rare, and is only communicable through bodily fluids."

About Righttime Medical Care
Righttime Medical Care specializes in providing warm, compassionate care at its 13 urgent Care Centers in Maryland. Now in its 25^th year, Righttime was recently awarded the Certified Urgent Care designation, which distinguishes it as among the top urgent care centers nationwide. Righttime is open from 7am to midnight 365 days a year and offers patients of all ages a 24-hour Call Center and online access for same day and next day appointments, digital x-rays, laboratory testing, prescription services and electronic health records that can be accessed through a secure patient portal and shared with the patient's primary care physician and specialists. For more information, visit myRighttime.com.

Contacts: Ann-Marie Sedor, 443-332-4260 x8130
Righttime Medical Care Communications and Resource Center, 443-332-4272 (24 hours)

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SOURCE Righttime Medical Care

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www.myrighttime.com