by Sarah Warburton

This February in Texas we’re experiencing a peak in flu season…and also in RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus). How can you tell when you or your child needs a vaporizer and good rest…and when you’re entering the danger zone? We asked Dr. Shannon Orsak of St. Michael’s Emergency Rooms for more information about keeping your family safe and healthy.

Dr. Orsak says, “Both the flu and RSV are viral illness accompanied by symptoms like coughing, stuffy noses, and fever…and both can be life-threatening events. Most cases of RSV pass like a common cold, but it’s important to watch symptoms especially in kids with a weakened immune system or in adults with heart or lung problems. RSV is most dangerous when it spreads down from the nose and throat into the lower respiratory tract, where it can cause pneumonia or bronchiolitis. Seek medical attention if the patient has difficulty breathing, bluish skin or nails, lethargy, or an extremely high fever.”

Don’t assume that you’re too healthy to be struck down by the flu. Dr. Orsak says, “Three of Harris County’s flu deaths this year involved people older than 25…flu shots aren’t just for children! While most people with the flu do absolutely fine with OTC medication and rest, if you have difficulty breathing, chest or abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion, or severe vomiting…come straight to St. Michael’s. If administered within 48 hours of the onset of your symptoms, antiviral medications like Tamiflu may shorten how long you have the virus and reduce the risk of complications. We’re here for your family whenever you need us, offering emergency care with an emphasis on the care…the way medicine is meant to be practiced.”

So when does that virus turn into a St. Michael’s emergency? When you get worried! Brian Orsak, co-owner of St. Michael’s Emergency Rooms, says, “The state of Texas has adopted “the prudent layperson standard”…so if you think your symptoms are serious enough to go to an emergency room, then that constitutes an emergency and must be covered as such by your insurance. Let our doctors make the diagnosis…and give you the right treatment to keep your family healthy!”

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The Bottom Line: St. Michael’s Emergency Rooms is the first and only free-standing ER in Fort Bend and the surrounding Houston area in-network with AETNA…and we are working on similar plans with more providers. Currently we do accept more than 200 insurance plans, including Cigna, Blue Cross, United, Humana. What “accepting” these plans means to your bottom line: You’ll pay the same ER price for concierge service at St. Michael’s as you would pay at a standard ER..and often even less! St. Michael’s offers everything you need from an ER––physicians trained in emergency medicine, an X-ray, Ultrasound and CT, and an on-site diagnostic lab––without the wait!

Not a Medicare or Medicaid participating provider.

St. Michael’s Emergency Rooms
16062 SW Freeway (at Hwy 6)
Sugar Land, TX 77479
281-980-HELP
www.StMichaelsER.com