Thanksgiving: A Day of Gratitude—and Carelessness that Sends Many to Urgent Care and the ED

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year for urgent care centers that are open, at least at the New York metropolitan area’s CityMD locations. Whether it’s people trying to show off with a carving flair that exceeds their skill level (cutting more than the turkey in the process), scarfing down an undercooked bird, or getting splattered with oil from a fryer, many end the day worse off than they were in the morning. The numbers are up in emergency rooms year after year, too, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. What does this mean to you? First, if you’re open, make sure you have sufficient staff in house. Second, make sure people know you’re open by posting prominent holiday hours on your website and getting the word out via social media. You may want to go to extra measures by contacting local hotels, too; many people travel to areas where they’re not familiar with available medical facilities.