1. Go to our homepage and simply click the “Book an Appointment” button on the top right hand corner (for desktop) or top (for mobile) of your screen. Select your day and time and you’re all set!
   
2. Click this link, choose and select the day and time for your appointment and you’re all set!
   
3. If you’d like to use the Healow App to make it more convenient for yourself in the future (and to enjoy a number of other side benefits):
   • Download the Healow app for free from your smart phone or device’s App Store;
   • Find our practice by entering code DGJIBD or searching for, “Zion Urgent Care”;
   • Log in with your patient portal credentials.

Once you complete any of the three steps above, you will receive the following two emails and you’re all set!

1. Your Healow login username which you can use either on the Healow portal (for your Desktop/Laptop) or App (for your mobile device);
2. Your appointment confirmation.

We hope you find this easy to use but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our office at 832-447-6454. (Please note: do not use this feature during emergencies, please call 911.) Have a blessed day!

What is Considered an Urgent Medical Condition?

Some examples include:

• Accidents and falls
• Cuts that don’t involve much blood but might need stitches
• Breathing difficulties, such as mild to moderate asthma
• Diagnostic services, including X-rays and laboratory tests
• Eye irritation and redness
• Fever or flu
• Minor broken bones and fractures in fingers or toes
• Moderate back problems
• Severe sore throat or cough
• Skin rashes and infections
• Sprains and strains
• Strep, STD and pregnancy tests
• Urinary tract infections
• Vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration

Direct Primary Care

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a membership-based healthcare model that gives patients continuous access to their provider for a low monthly fee. Patient fees cover extended visits, some clinical, lab and consultative services, care coordination, and comprehensive care management.

Walk-in Clinic

In addition, Zion provides non-urgent care. Call or text 832.447.6454 to schedule a time for vaccinations, sports physicals, annual exams, in-office labs (strep, pregnancy, flu) and much more.
Zion Urgent Care Katy, Texas

Above all, Zion Urgent Care is Katy’s newest clinic and offers short wait times, compassionate and affordable care and full service primary care. We are here to serve the Katy, TX community, working with schools, the chamber of commerce and other organizations to keep our patients healthy. Contact us today at 832.447.6454 and visit our website to learn more about how we focus on a mind/body/spirit approach to health care.

Bug Bites

Mosquitoes are one obvious culprit, but others abound. Ticks like our tall grass, as do other creepy crawlies. Black widow and brown recluse spiders live in Texas and are dangerous to children and adults. Animals tend to pick up fleas as the weather warms up. Keep an eye out for itchy or painful red bumps and if you suspect a spider bite, check with your urgent care clinic.

Dog Bites

Just as kids love to run around in the neighborhood, dogs are likely to get out and run too. If you or your child does not know an approaching dog, it’s best to stay away. If you do end up with a bite that pierces the skin, it’s important to have it checked by a doctor.

Head Injuries

Kids and adults alike enjoy riding bikes, skateboards and scooters as the weather warms up. Teaching safe behaviors – such as wearing a helmet when riding a bike or scooter – limits risk-taking on playgrounds and on bike paths, and will help keep your family safe.

Alcohol Poisoning

Spring break is a classic time for college age kids to let loose and this can sometimes include partying too hard and drinking too much. Binge drinking is alcohol consumption that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit of 0.08%or higher. Friends need to watch out for friends in these high-risk situations and parents need to stay alert to the signs of binge drinking.

Zion Urgent Care Clinic offers convenient and caring medical treatment in any of these cases. No appointment necessary!

The ER is for life-threatening situations, although many people go there even if it’s not an emergency. According to one study, nearly half of ER patients whose illness didn’t warrant being admitted to the hospital had gone to the ER just because their doctor’s office wasn’t open.

“Urgent care would have been more appropriate — and less expensive. Out-of-pocket costs are likely lower than for an ER visit, especially if the facility is in your health insurance network.

Realize, too, that the emergency department treats people in order of need, so you may have a longer wait time. Urgent care centers usually see people on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Here are some examples of reasons to visit an urgent care clinic:

• Fever and flu symptoms.
• Rashes and ear infections.
• Routine exams and lab work.
• Minor injury.
• Stomach pain.
• Severe sore throat.

“More serious problems, like severe pain and difficulty breathing, as well as traumatic injuries, do need screening and treatment at the ER.

In serious emergencies, driving to the ER won’t get you help fast enough. It’s safer to call 911, especially in life-threatening situations. Paramedics can start care immediately.”

Here are some reasons to go to the ER:

• Severe bleeding or pain.
• Chest pain, shortness of breath or wheezing
• Any sign of stroke, including paralysis, difficulty speaking, altered mental status or confusion.
• High fever or fever with a rash.
• Serious burns, cuts, dislocated joints or broken bones.
• Serious fall or an injury involving the head or eyes.
• Severe headache or loss of vision that comes on suddenly.

“If you’re unsure what constitutes an emergency or what costs will be covered, contact your insurer before you need any of these services. If you’re ever in doubt, go to your closest ER. But if the problem is simply that you just can’t reach your doctor, consider urgent care.”

Excerpted from US News & World Report

When To Seek Medical Advice

“In fact, according to the International Ankle Consortium, a global group of researchers and clinicians who study ankle injuries, 55 percent of people who sprain an ankle never seek professional treatment in the aftermath of the injury.”

Unfortunately, the majority of ankle sprains recur because of a chronically unstable joint that tends to “give way,” poor balance, an uneven gait, lack of flexibility, weight gain, or early arthritis. Most ankle sprains happen when your foot suddenly turns in under the leg so that the sole of that foot faces the opposite leg, painfully stretching the ligament on the outside of the ankle. The extent of the injury can range from a minor strain to a complete tear, and the rate and extent of healing can vary greatly.

Should you sprain an ankle, avoid the all too common advice to “walk it off.” At a minimum, leave the game or whatever you were doing and avoid putting weight on that foot to give the injured ankle adequate rest. If the injury is severe, you may need to use crutches.

If you do sprain an ankle, apply ice wrapped in a cloth for 15 to 20 minutes every two or three hours for two days, then once a day until pain and swelling are gone. Sit or lie down as much as possible with the injured ankle elevated above the hip. To further minimize swelling, wrap the ankle in an elastic bandage, starting at the toes and working up to the leg.

Seriously consider a medical consultation, especially if pain and swelling persist for more than a few days. Although in most cases, an X-ray or M.R.I. is not needed to make an accurate diagnosis, the injury could be more serious than a simple sprain. Ask about physical therapy, which can strengthen the joint and help prevent reinjury.

“Dr. Gribble recently presented the latest technical information on ankle sprains to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association meeting in Baltimore. In a study of 3,526 adults who responded to a questionnaire, more than half, or 1,843, had previously sustained an ankle injury. Those who had injured their ankles tended to weigh more, had greater limitations in their daily activities and were more likely to have cardiovascular or respiratory conditions than those who remained injury free.”

Sports and the General Public

While ankle sprains are most common among physically active people, the general public is not immune. The injury can result from walking on an uneven surface (especially while wearing high heels), incorrectly stepping off a curb or staircase, being pulled erratically by a dog on a leash, or even running around playing with children or friends.

“In one report to the athletic trainers’ convention, 12 college students who had sprained an ankle still had an incompletely healed, overstretched ligament a year after the injury, which “may explain the high percentage of patients that develop chronic ankle instability,” said Tricia Hubbard-Turner of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.”

“Even though fewer than half of ankle sprains receive medical attention, the injury is so common that it is the leading lower extremity injury that results in an emergency room visit, according to data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.”

Prevention is Key

As with any injury, ankle sprains are best prevented. One of the best ways to do this is to improve your balance with flexibility exercises such as standing on one foot, at first on a firm surface, then with eyes closed, then on a soft surface like a pillow. Do stretching exercises that increase the flexibility of the legs, hip and torso to guard against any unanticipated awkward movements.

“When participating in sports like basketball, soccer and tennis — which involve jumps or quick changes in direction that can put ankles at risk — consider taping or bracing the ankles to increase their stability.

Finally, avoid being a weekend warrior who indulges in a sport full tilt without adequate preparation. Build up gradually, practice the skills involved and make sure to keep needed muscles strong.”

Most importantly, do not rush back into activity before healing is complete and normal, pain-free range of motion has been restored. Reinjuring the ankle can result in permanent pain and disability, so see a doctor if the pain persists.

Originally posted in the New York Times

1. Fever
   If your child is younger than 90 days old, urgent care should be sought out if he or she has a fever above 100.4 degrees F. For children 90 days to 36 months, you should get them to a doctor if their fever is 102.2 degrees F or higher, or if the fever is accompanied by a rash, vomiting, difficulty waking up to feed, difficulty breathing or inconsolable, non-stop crying.
2. Sick Days
   Five out of every six children will get at least one ear infection before turning three while almost 40%will have had three separate ear infections by that time. Pink eye is common for children and kids catch more colds than adults. Sick days are going to happen more often than you’d like. If your child is sick with one of these issues, take them to your local urgent care center for an evaluation.
3. Sprained Ankles and Abrasions
   Another time you should visit an urgent care center is in the (inevitable) event that your young one twists an ankle or falls while at recess.
4. Broken Bones
   As your children explore the world around them, they may end up with more than a few bumps and bruises. In fact, it’s probably safe to say your children may end up breaking more than one bone in their adventures. If or when that happens, don’t hesitate to visit your local urgent care clinic. We are here for life’s little emergencies.

Parenting can be a wild ride. While it’s likely that you’ll run into more than a few of these emergencies during your career as a caregiver, know that you have all the resources you need to keep your children safe.

Keep Zion Urgent Care on speed dial for your minor emergencies – we are here to keep you and your family healthy and happy: 832.913.8504