Urgent & Emergency Care

If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.

Kirk doesn’t offer urgent or emergency care services.

Urgent Care

Urgent Care services treat non-life-threatening health issues that require immediate attention, such as sprains, the flu, colds, and other common illnesses.

If you’re unsure about whether you need urgent care, contact the Military Health System Nurse Advice Line to speak to a registered nurse. Visit MHSNurseAdviceLine.com for web chat and video chat, or dial 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273).

Emergency Care

If you are experiencing a life-threatening medical situation (including mental health emergencies), call 911 immediately. Emergency care services treat life-threatening medical issues such as threats to your life, limbs, sight, or safety.

To learn about how TRICARE covers emergency care, visit the TRICARE Emergency Care page.

Emergency Departments Near Kirk

UM Upper Chesapeake Medical Center Aberdeen 660 McHenry Road Aberdeen, MD 21001 443-843-5000

Upper Chesapeake Hospital Center 500 Upper Chesapeake Dr Bel Air, MD 21014 443-643-1000

Important Note: To keep your medical records up to date, always provide your Primary Care Manager's information during an ER or Urgent Care visit and have them fax your progress notes to the Kirk clinic at 877-811-2184.

Kirk is no longer a full fledged hospital. Clinic services are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Mental Health Emergencies

After normal duty hours, weekends and holidays go immediately to the nearest Emergency Room or call 911 (Kirk does NOT have an Emergency Room).

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal during duty hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), please immediately contact one of these options:

• Kirk Mental Health: 410-278-1715
• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:  988
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Additional Information

Beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE Prime with their Primary Care Manager at Kirk should contact the appointment call center at 410-278-5475 or toll free at 1-866-756-5475 to schedule a follow up visit with their assigned Primary Care Manager within 24 hours or the next business day to coordinate follow up care. Appointments can also be scheduled using the MHS GENSIS Patient Portal. 

Beneficiaries using TRICARE Prime and TRICARE for Life do not require prior authorization to seek emergency care in an emergency room.

Active duty service members do need prior authorization for Urgent Care.  TRICARE Prime and Medicare/TRICARE for Life do not require prior authorization to seek urgent care in an in-network facility.

Beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE Prime through the U.S. Family Health Plan must contact their Primary Care Provider or the U.S. Family Health Plan for information on how to obtain follow up care after an emergency.

Quick Reference: TRICARE Care & Follow-Up Guide

Patient Status/Plan	Emergency Room Care	Urgent Care	Follow-Up Care Action
Active Duty Service Member	No prior authorization required	Prior authorization IS required before seeking care	Contact Kirk clinic within 24 hours or next business day to schedule follow-up with PCM. Call 410-278-5475 (toll-free at 1-866-756-5475) or use MHS GENESIS Patient Portal
TRICARE Prime (Enrolled with PCM at Kirk)	No prior authorization required	No prior authorization required at in-network facilities	Contact Kirk clinic within 24 hours or next business day to schedule follow-up with PCM. Call 410-278-5475 (toll-free at 1-866-756-5475) or use MHS GENESIS Patient Portal
TRICARE For Life / Medicare	No prior authorization required	No prior authorization required at in-network facilities	Follow standard appointment procedures from your provider
U.S. Family Health Plan (USFHP)	No prior authorization required	Check USFHP guidelines for local network rules	Must contact your assigned PCM or the USFHP directly to coordinate follow-up care.