After Hours Care

Medical Care After Your Doctor’s Office Closes

When illnesses and injuries happen outside of regular office hours, follow these steps for help.

Step One

Call your Primary Care Physician (PCP). If you get sick at night or on the weekend, you can call your PCP’s office number. The office will have an answering service or message on how to contact the PCP. The PCP should return your call within 30 minutes.

To find the name and phone number of your PCP, please look at the front of your member ID card.

Step Two

If your doctor’s office is closed and your PCP recommends you receive treatment, call or visit an after-hours or urgent care center.

After-Hour Locations

Driscoll Health Plan offers members access to many locations with extended hours. Enter the city or zip code and click search to see a list of available options.

Search After-Hour Locations

Immediate Attention

Call 9-1-1 in a medical emergency, or visit the nearest Emergency Room for a serious injury or illness.

Determine which healthcare service you need

Use the following table to determine which healthcare service you need.

Healthcare Provider	Overview	Services	Waiting Period
Primary Care Provider (PCP)	A primary care doctor knows your health history. Your primary care doctor sees you for regular checkups, treats you for urgent care matters, prescribes medicine or supplies you may need, and refers you to a specialist when necessary. Call your PCP whenever possible, and they will refer you to an urgent care center or hospital if needed.	Texas Health Steps checkups Vaccines Follow-up checkups Flu vaccines Pregnancy tests Treatment of minor skin conditions	You/your child should be able to be seen for routine care within two weeks. There may be reduced wait times with a scheduled visit.
Urgent Care Center	Urgent care centers provide treatment when you have an injury or illness that requires immediate care but is not serious enough to go to the emergency room. You should also go to an urgent care center if your primary care doctor is not available.	Treatment of: Earaches Minor/common infections (e.g. strep throat) Minor cuts Sprains/strains Minor broken bones Minor burns	You/your child should be seen within 24 hours. Urgent care centers are often open after regular PCP office hours. Walk-ins are welcome, but waiting periods may vary.
Emergency Room (ER)	Emergency rooms provide immediate treatment of life-threatening conditions. If you have severe symptoms or believe your condition is life-threatening, you should go to the emergency room or call 911.	Treatment of: Shortness of breath Chest or abdominal pain Large open wounds Major burns Severe head injuries Major broken bones Uncontrolled bleeding Criminal attacks (mugging, rape, stabbing, gunshot) Poisoning or overdose of medications or alcohol Danger to self or others Severe allergic reaction or animal bites	You/your child can be seen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, waiting times may be longer because patients with life-threatening emergencies will be treated first.

Your Responsibilities as a Member

Know when you should go to the emergency room.

Emergency medical care is provided for emergency medical conditions and emergency behavioral health conditions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Emergency medical condition means: A medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of recent onset and sufficient severity (including severe pain), such that a prudent layperson, who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine, could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical care and result in:
- Placing the patient’s health in serious jeopardy;
- Serious impairment to bodily functions;
- Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part;
- Serious disfigurement; or
- In the case of a pregnant women, serious jeopardy to the health of a woman or her unborn child.
Emergency behavioral health condition means:  Any condition, without regard to the nature or cause of the condition, which in the opinion of a prudent layperson, possessing average knowledge of medicine and health:
- Requires immediate intervention or medical attention without which the member would present an immediate danger to themselves or others; or
- Which renders the member incapable of controlling, knowing, or understanding the consequences of their actions.
Emergency dental services covered by DHP are limited to the following:
- Dislocated jaw.
- Traumatic damage to teeth and supporting structures.
- Removal of cysts.
- Treatment of oral abscess of tooth or gum origin.
- Treatment and devices for craniofacial anomalies.
- Drugs for any of the above conditions.
- DHP also covers dental services your child gets in a hospital or ambulatory surgical center including other services your child might need, like anesthesia.

You should choose a Primary Care Provider (PCP).

Search for a PCP
Call Member Services to choose a PCP: 1-877-324-7543

Call your PCP first for non-emergency medical care.

Your Primary Care Provider or another doctor is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
It is important you have a good relationship with your Primary Care Provider. Your Primary Care Provider needs to know your medical history to be able to provide you with the best care. You need to take part in decisions about your health care. Together, you and your Primary Care Provider will make the right decisions to keep you healthy.

After Hours Care

Medical Care After Your Doctor’s Office Closes

Step One

Step Two

After-Hour Locations

Immediate Attention

Determine which healthcare service you need

Your Responsibilities as a Member

Know when you should go to the emergency room.

You should choose a Primary Care Provider (PCP).

Call your PCP first for non-emergency medical care.

Learn and follow Driscoll Health Plan’s (DHP) rules and Medicaid rules.

Member Services

Contact Information

News & Helpful Links

Find a Provider

Member Login

Renew Benefits

News And Updates