FLORIDA'S ONLY JOINT COMMISSION-ACCREDITED URGENT CARE
FLORIDA'S ONLY JOINT COMMISSION-ACCREDITED URGENT CARE · ONE OF JUST 8 NATIONWIDE
FLORIDA'S ONLY JOINT COMMISSION-ACCREDITED URGENT CARE
FLORIDA'S ONLY JOINT COMMISSION-ACCREDITED URGENT CARE · ONE OF JUST 8 NATIONWIDE
Same-visit physician evaluation and IV fluid therapy for dehydration — Lactated Ringers, normal saline, and anti-emetics delivered on-site. Walk in, no appointment needed.
Joint Commission accredited. Physician on shift every day. Most insurance accepted.
TrufaMED treats dehydration with IV fluid therapy under physician supervision, seven days a week. No appointment needed. The typical visit — physician evaluation, IV placement, Lactated Ringers or normal saline infusion, and discharge — takes about 90 minutes.
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When oral rehydration is not working — vomiting, severe diarrhea, heat illness, or post-viral dehydration — IV fluids restore volume in minutes, not hours. At TrufaMED a board-certified physician evaluates you, selects the right crystalloid (Lactated Ringers or normal saline), adds anti-emetics such as ondansetron when needed, and monitors your vitals through the infusion.
Most mild dehydration responds to oral rehydration — sips of electrolyte solution every few minutes. IV therapy is reserved for moderate to severe dehydration, or when oral intake is failing. Our physicians evaluate clinical severity using vitals, exam findings, and when indicated, basic labs.
The single best predictor of moderate dehydration is orthostatic vital signs — a rise in heart rate of 20 beats per minute or more, or a drop in systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg or more, on moving from sitting to standing. Our physicians measure this when the exam raises concern. Laboratory markers — elevated BUN-to-creatinine ratio, elevated hematocrit, low urine specific gravity inverted relative to clinical picture — confirm the diagnosis in borderline cases. In most cases, exam alone tells us what the patient needs.
Not all IV fluids are the same. The fluid choice depends on the reason for the dehydration, the patient’s labs, and concurrent medications. Our physicians select based on clinical picture, not a fixed menu.
| Fluid | Composition | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Lactated Ringers | Sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, lactate — buffered, near-physiologic | Most dehydration scenarios, heat illness, large-volume resuscitation, post-viral, food poisoning |
| Normal Saline 0.9% | Sodium chloride, no buffer | Short infusions, hyponatremia, vomiting with metabolic alkalosis, medication dilution |
| Dextrose 5% in 0.45% Saline | Half-normal saline plus dextrose | Pediatric maintenance, concurrent hypoglycemia, prolonged NPO (nothing-by-mouth) periods |
| Dextrose 5% in Water | Dextrose in sterile water | Free water replacement, certain medication infusions, specific sodium conditions |
In addition to fluids, our physicians commonly order adjuncts: ondansetron (Zofran) 4 or 8 mg IV to stop vomiting, metoclopramide (Reglan) for delayed gastric emptying, intravenous potassium when labs show hypokalemia, and magnesium sulfate when cramping or migraine accompanies the dehydration. Vitamin-containing drips (B-complex, thiamine) are appropriate in specific presentations.
Separately, TrufaMED offers elective wellness IV therapy (Myers’ Cocktail, Rehydrate+, NAD+, Hangover Recovery) for patients who are not clinically dehydrated but want the benefits of IV hydration. The two service lines are distinct: medical IV for dehydration is covered by most insurance when clinically indicated. Elective wellness IV is cash-pay.
For mild dehydration, oral rehydration is equally effective and less invasive. For moderate-to-severe cases where oral intake is not possible or not keeping up with losses, IV fluids deliver measured volume directly to the vascular space — bypassing a GI tract that is not cooperating.
The World Health Organization Oral Rehydration Solution — glucose plus sodium — is the standard for non-severe dehydration. It works because glucose co-transports sodium across the gut wall, which pulls water with it. The same mechanism operates in commercial products like Pedialyte and Liquid IV. In otherwise healthy adults and children, oral rehydration matches IV rehydration in outcome for mild-to-moderate dehydration.
When oral is the right choice: small frequent sips (a tablespoon every 5 minutes), no large boluses, avoid plain water in severe dehydration because it dilutes sodium and can worsen electrolyte imbalance.
IV fluids are direct: they enter the vascular space immediately, restore circulating volume, and support blood pressure. A patient who cannot keep down sips can still tolerate an IV. A patient whose losses are outpacing oral intake — severe diarrhea, heat exhaustion, persistent vomiting — needs IV volume replacement to catch up.
Typical IV dose: 1 to 2 liters of Lactated Ringers over 30 to 90 minutes in an adult, titrated to heart rate, blood pressure, and clinical response. Pediatric dosing is calculated per kilogram. Most adults transition back to oral fluids by the end of the infusion; severe cases may need a second liter or electrolyte correction.
Anyone with an IV license can place a line. The clinical judgment of what fluid to use, how much, and when to escalate is the physician’s job. Pitfalls we avoid: over-resuscitating a patient with underlying heart failure, under-treating a patient with ongoing losses, missing hyponatremia in a marathon runner, giving potassium-containing fluid to a patient already hyperkalemic. These are not theoretical — they happen in wellness clinics without physician oversight.
IV vs Oral At-a-Glance
What Arrives With IV Placement
South Florida’s climate and tourism pattern drive a consistent mix of dehydration presentations. Our physicians see these scenarios daily.
Heat exhaustion from beach, outdoor workouts, construction work, or tourist activity. Early IV fluids plus active cooling prevents progression to heat stroke.
Stomach flu that has been vomiting for 24 to 72 hours. Ondansetron plus 1 to 2 L of fluids usually resolves the cycle; most patients leave tolerating sips of water.
Bacterial or toxin-mediated GI illness — typically 6 to 24 hours after suspicious meal. Treatment: IV fluids, anti-emetics, and evaluation to distinguish from other GI emergencies.
IV fluids plus magnesium sulfate plus anti-emetics break most migraine episodes. Our physicians manage the full protocol same visit.
Marathon, triathlon, or long beach run with inadequate fluid replacement. Careful IV management avoids the opposite error — hyponatremia from over-hydration.
When a hangover crosses the line into clinical dehydration with vomiting. Distinct from our elective Hangover Recovery IV which is cash-pay wellness service.
Children dehydrate faster than adults and recover faster when treated promptly. Our physicians see children daily through our pediatric urgent care service.
For mild-to-moderate pediatric dehydration, oral rehydration with a proper ORS (Pedialyte, CeraLyte, or equivalent) is first-line. Frequency matters: a teaspoon every minute to two minutes works, a full cup every 10 minutes does not. A dose of ondansetron can break the vomiting cycle and let oral rehydration succeed, avoiding the IV entirely.
IV fluids in children are indicated when: oral rehydration has failed over several attempts, dehydration is severe (lethargy, sunken eyes, poor skin turgor, reduced urine output), or an ongoing process like frequent vomiting is outpacing oral intake. Our physicians calculate pediatric fluid doses by kilogram (typically 20 mL/kg bolus, repeated as needed) and monitor closely.
Infants under three months with any concerning symptom (fever, lethargy, poor feeding, fewer wet diapers) are evaluated urgently. Our physicians have a low threshold for transferring very young infants to pediatric emergency care when illness severity or age warrants it — but for most older infants and toddlers with garden-variety stomach flu, we handle the full course in clinic.
Pediatric IV Quick Facts
Most IV therapy locations are wellness lounges. TrufaMED is a medical clinic. The difference matters when your dehydration is actually a medical issue that deserves physician-level diagnosis, not a drip menu.
01 · Accreditation
Florida’s Only JC-Accredited Urgent Care
Joint Commission accreditation — the same body that accredits hospitals — audits our sterile technique, medication safety, infection control, and clinical protocols every three years.
02 · Physicians
Every Visit Includes an MD
Every patient is evaluated by a board-certified physician. Led by Dr. Uri Gedalia (Chief Medical Officer) and Dr. Shane D. Naidoo (Medical Director, Emergency Medicine). Meet them on our staff page.
03 · Insurance
Medical IV, Covered by Insurance
When IV is clinically indicated, it is a covered urgent care service under most major plans: Aetna, Cigna, UHC, Humana, Oscar*, Medicare. No surprise billing — we quote self-pay up front.
04 · Same-Visit Escalation
We Escalate When It Is Right
Most dehydration is safely managed in urgent care. Cases that need the ER — shock, electrolyte emergencies, suspected surgical abdomen — are identified quickly and transferred. We do not send patients home unstable.
05 · Capabilities
On-Site Labs, Imaging, Pharmacy Close
When dehydration is complicated by fever, pain, or a question about another diagnosis, on-site lab testing and digital X-ray close the loop in a single visit.
06 · Not a Wellness Bar
Medical First, Not a Menu
Wellness IV has its place — we offer it separately through our IV therapy service. For actual dehydration, you want a medical evaluation first, not a pre-picked drip.
Most dehydration is urgent-care level. Some is not. The findings below move disposition from urgent care to the emergency department.
Go to the ER or call 911 if:
If you are unsure, come in. We triage on arrival and move patients to the ER when the findings warrant it. The cost of a same-day physician evaluation is worth it when the alternative is missing a heat stroke or a surgical abdomen.
The questions our physicians answer most often about IV fluid therapy for dehydration.
TrufaMED is at 9445 Harding Ave in Surfside — minutes from Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, and Aventura. Walk in without an appointment seven days a week.
9445 Harding Ave, Surfside, FL 33154 · Contact our team · Walk-in only — no appointment needed.
Monday – Friday
9 AM – 9 PM
Saturday
11 AM – 11 PM
Sunday
12 PM – 8 PM
TrufaMED is Florida’s only Joint Commission-accredited urgent care. In addition to dehydration IV, we handle the full urgent care spectrum including stomach flu, influenza, migraine, UTI, and sore throat. Most insurance accepted. Self-pay patients welcome.
Medical IV for dehydration — physician exam, IV fluids, anti-emetics — is covered by most major plans as a standard urgent care visit.
Physician evaluation, IV fluids, and anti-emetics in a single urgent care visit. No appointment needed. Most insurance accepted.
Medical Disclaimer: Content on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Dehydration severity varies by individual, and proper treatment requires an in-person physician evaluation. If you are experiencing confusion, severe chest pain, signs of shock, suspected heat stroke, or any other life-threatening symptom, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. TrufaMED Urgent Care & Concierge Medicine — 9445 Harding Ave, Surfside, FL 33154 — (305) 537-6396. Joint Commission accredited.
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