Officials at Piedmont Fayette Hospital are urging patients with flu-like symptoms to seek treatment at the hospital’s Minor Emergency Care Center instead of the main emergency room.

“By seeking treatment at the Minor Emergency Care Center instead of going to the emergency department, you avoid waiting behind patients with life-threatening ailments,” said Merry Heath, director of Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s emergency services. She added that the MECC offers the same quality of services as the emergency room.

The minor ER is located in the same building with Fayette Medical Center at the corner of Ga. Highway 54 and Yorktown Drive in Fayetteville.

The emergency room is designed to place a priority on patients with life-threatening symptoms, meaning those with minor ailments could experience delays in treatment. Anyone with serious symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath should head to the main emergency room at the hospital itself, officials said.

Patients should visit the MECC if they have typical flu symptoms such as general body ache, muscle ache, low-grade fever, runny nose, sore throat, mild headache or cough and congestion not associated with shortness of breath.

Hospital officials are also asking patients with the following ailments to seek treatment at the MECC:

• Cold symptoms
• Ear infection
• Strains
• Sprains
• Simple lacerations (cuts)
• Foreign bodies in the eye
• Urinary tract infections

The MECC is located 1.7 miles east of the main hospital campus on Yorktown Drive, just off Ga. Highway 54, in Fayetteville. It is open daily from noon to 11 p.m. It has 15 patient rooms, on-site X-ray capability and a range of laboratory tests.

The MECC also takes the same insurance plans that the hospital emergency room does, officials said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending a variety of measures to stay healthy during the flu season, including avoidance of sick persons, staying home when sick, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, washing hands often and avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

For more information about Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s Minor Emergency Care Center, call 770-716-2082.

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