Preparing for Cold & Flu Season in Kansas City

When to Choose Primary Care for Your Family’s Healthcare Needs during Cold and Flu Season—and All Year Round

Evidence-based tips for surviving—and thriving—during cold and flu season

Make a plan for when unexpected illness or injuries occur.

Whether you seldom need medical care or you have a go-to primary care provider you see often, it can be challenging to decide where to go for care when the unexpected happens. When you get sick, experience a minor injury, or have a health question or concern, you have options. Here are some tips for when to choose primary care, urgent care, or the emergency department.

---

Primary Care

The best place to start when you need care

Your PCP knows you, your history, and can offer personalized advice and care.

Treatment of common, acute conditions and minor injuries

Urgent Care Clinic

When you can’t get in with primary care, but it isn’t an emergency

Extended hours, walk-in availability, often lengthy in-office wait to be seen

Often more expensive than primary care

Emergency Department

If you are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. In case of a mental health emergency, call or text 988.

---

Every year, Americans visit the Emergency Room more than 100 million times. About 30% of those visits don’t require emergency care¹.

There are many reasons for these unnecessary ER visits, and many of them relate to concern about what could happen, either before, during, or after a primary care appointment².

At Spira Care, primary care can do more than you might expect.

• Nine Care Center locations across the KC metro area
• Onsite lab and X-ray at most Care Centers³
• Onsite behavioral health support at all Care Centers
• Compassionate, dedicated, multidisciplinary Care Teams to help with more of your healthcare needs under one roof
• Care Guides to help you understand and coordinate your next steps and follow-ups
• Same-day and next-day availability at most locations for if you get sick or experience a minor injury⁴
• Triage nurses and an on-call provider to answer your questions and help you decide where to go for care based on your symptoms and health history

Learn more about what sets Spira Care apart and find a location that’s convenient for you!

How is Spira Care Different?

find a care center

If you experience a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. In case of a mental health emergency, call or text 988.

This cold and flu season, let’s thrive together.

When you get sick, it can be difficult to decide if your cold or flu symptoms should be treated by a doctor.

Your Spira Care Team is here to help you get the care you need when you need it!

We can triage your symptoms, help you decide when to choose primary care or another option for treatment, and recommend at-home care strategies for your symptoms.

If you aren’t sure where to go for non-emergency care, call Spira Care first! Our team of triage nurses can schedule a same-day or next-day appointment for you at a Spira Care Center or recommend an urgent care clinic if appropriate.

913-29-(SPIRA) 77472

Unsure if you or your loved one has a cold or the flu? Here are a few examples of how the two illnesses differ and what they have in common⁵:

Note: This is not an exhaustive list and is not intended for diagnostic purposes. The information on this page is offered for educational and informational purposes only, and should not replace or supersede medical guidance from a licensed professional.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Tips for Staying Healthy This Season⁶

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly using soap and water.
• Frequently sanitize high-traffic surfaces in your home, like doorknobs and the kitchen countertop.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Maintain an active, healthy diet lifestyle, including a varied diet and physical movement.
• If you start to feel ill, stay at home and away from other people as much as possible. Keep your kids home from school if they develop symptoms to help reduce the spread.
• Remember when to choose primary care, and when to call us first if you aren’t sure where to go for non-emergency care!
• Get vaccinated! The CDC recommends an annual flu shot for people 6 months and older to help reduce the risk of contracting influenza and the severity of symptoms if you do get sick.

Get your annual flu shot at Spira Care, no appointment needed! Walk into a Spira Care Center between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday and get your flu shot at no additional cost to you⁷. Quick, simple, done!

By taking some simple preventive measures like these, we can work together to protect people in our families and communities who are at a higher risk of getting seriously ill if they are exposed to a virus.

This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical provider with any questions you have about the treatment or management of your health or any medical conditions. Do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking care because of something you read here.

1. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
2. Journal of General Internal Medicine
3. Routine labs and X-rays taken at a Spira Care Center are done based on a primary care need and ordered from a Spira Care provider only. Digital X-rays are available at all Spira Care locations except Lee’s Summit and Liberty. We do not accept or facilitate orders from outside providers.
4. Appointment availability varies based on demand and capacity at each Care Center location on any given day. Your health coverage through any of the Blue KC plans cannot be used for an on-the-job or work-related injury or illness.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
6. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
7. Preventive services are covered at 100 percent. For costs and further details of the coverage, including exclusions, any reductions or limitations and the terms under which the policy may be continued in force, see your insurance producer or write Blue KC.