SEATTLE — A new option for urgent medical care is coming to Bellevue Mon, Dec. 14th. ZOOM+Care Super Clinics are an Emergency Doctor alternative staffed with board-certified emergency physicians who can treat 80% of the reasons that adults and kids go to the ED. We spoke with Director of Acute Care Services, Mark Zeitzer, about the clinic and what problems it solves:
Q: What is ZOOM+Care Super and what problems does it solve?
A: Emergency rooms are filled with people who don't need to be there. So often, patients wind up in the ER because they believe it's their only option for serious care. They may need more intensive treatment than an urgent care clinic can provide—such as an ultrasound, CT scan, a liter of fluid, or an IV medication—but they don't actually need the ER.
ZOOM+Super was born from a desire to bridge the gap between the ER and an urgent care clinic. We figured out that if we put emergency physicians in a place where there is a CT scanner, ultrasound and an ultrasound tech, a lab, IV fluids, and medications, we could handle about 80% of the things people go to the emergency room. And more importantly, we could do it faster, better, and more affordably.
Q: Why should patients go to Super? What’s the benefit?
A: One of the biggest benefits of Super is affordability. Super visits cost one-fourth of the average ER visit—in part because we don't charge a hospital facility fee. If you have insurance, it’s even better: many insurance companies view ZOOM+Super as "specialist care" rather than emergency care. That means they're more likely to cover your visit, resulting in fewer out-of-pocket expenses for you.
Another benefit of ZOOM+Super is speed. Thanks to our appointment-based scheduling, the average wait time to see a provider is zero minutes. In most cases, patients can get in and out of Super in 60 minutes or less. Stack that against the 2 hours and 16 minutes it takes for a typical ER visit.
Q: Tell us more about the services offered at Super.
Q: ZOOM+Super can treat 80% of the reasons adults and kids go to the ER, including broken bones, concussions, severe headaches, abdominal pain, early pregnancy complications, dehydration, shortness of breath, kidney stones and much more. Plus, CTs, ultrasounds, labs, fluids, and medications can all be done right at ZOOM+Super much faster and more affordably than at the ER.
Q: How do we know when to go to Super versus a regular emergency room?
A: If you think you need an ambulance or your life might be in danger, you should call 911 or go to the ER, but if you’re not sure you need the ER and you can get there safely —go to Super.
Another way to think of it is like this: If you go to the ER and you wind up sitting in the waiting room, you probably don’t need to be there. Make an appointment online or on the app and come on over to Super.
Q: What happens if a Super patient needs follow-up care? Anything else we should know?
A: ZOOM+Care has specialists on staff – like physical therapists, orthopedics, chiropractors, dermatologists – that we can refer you to for follow-up care. You can also chat online with one of our providers for free up to 7 days after your visit.
Sometimes, patients really do need to go to the hospital—typically for procedures like appendectomies. When that happens, we can arrange a direct admission to the facility of their choice, so they don’t have to start over and wait longer to be seen with the goal of skipping over the emergency department entirely
Disclaimer: ZOOM+Super is not a hospital emergency room. If you're experiencing a life-threatening emergency go to the closest ER or call 911.
Sponsored by ZOOM+Care. Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 AM weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.