How to Prepare for a Visit to the Doctor or Urgent Care

Medical visits can be stressful, but a little advance planning (when possible) can make your experience more comfortable.

Be prepared.

The goal of a medical provider visit is always to provide the best possible care in a timely manner, especially when it’s Urgent Care, but sometimes the volume of patients or other factors can make the process take longer. These are some of the ways you can support your child while waiting:

• Only bring the ill or injured child. Arrange care for other children whenever possible and avoid bringing additional adults unless needed.
• Bring comfort items for your child, such as a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, or pacifier.
• If your child has pain or fever, it’s okay to give them medicine before you arrive. We don’t want your child to be uncomfortable any longer than is absolutely necessary!
• Bring diapers and wipes.
• Bring a few quiet toys, coloring books, or devices (such as tablets or handheld video games) to keep your child entertained while waiting. Don’t forget the charger!
• If your child has been experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, consider bringing a change of clothes for them (and maybe for you too).
• If you’re headed to Urgent Care, consider bringing snacks and drinks for your child unless they have abdominal pain, vomiting, or another stomach problem. Food may not be allowed in other departments, so you may want to call and ask before you leave home.
• Every patient is important, and when it comes to Urgent Care, most are seen in the order in which they arrive. There are, unfortunately, times when a child must be seen out-of-order. This usually happens when a patient has very concerning symptoms and it may be unsafe to delay their care. In these situations, we appreciate your patience and understanding!

Use your wait time productively.

If you must wait, try to make the most of that time.

• Write down a list of questions for your healthcare team.
• Verify your preferred pharmacy’s hours.

Plan ahead when possible.

We know that urgent care visits are often unexpected, but if you are able to anticipate your visit, consider doing the following:

• Let us know that your child is coming by using Save My Place! Save My Place allows you wait comfortably at home while saving your place in line. While you may still have to wait once you arrive, patients who use Save My Place are typically seen by a medical provider about 10 minutes faster.
• Check the estimated wait time before you head out. Wait times are updated every 20 minutes and can help with selecting the location with the shortest wait.
• Not sure whether to take your child to an Urgent Care or an Emergency Department? Check out this helpful guide.

In addition to the main campus, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has many locations where pediatric experts are ready to care for your child, including Primary Care Centers, Close to Home and Urgent Care.