Where To Go: Emergency Room or Urgent Care?

Your primary care doctor is the best place to start when you are sick or hurt. They know you and your health history, including any underlying or preexisting conditions you may have. If you have not established a primary doctor, a good reason to do so is so that you will have a medical professional that does know your health history, including underlying and preexisting conditions. But what if you get sick or injured on the weekend or late at night when your doctor’s office is closed?

When to Go to Urgent Care

Urgent care centers can handle a variety of medical problems that need to be treated but are not considered true life threatening emergencies. They fill a vital gap when you become sick or injured and your regular doctor is not available, or you cannot wait for an appointment.

Urgent care clinics are convenient options because some of them may be open seven days per week and have relatively short wait times. They are also an affordable option, usually costing considerably less than the emergency room.

Many urgent care clinics are equipped with X-ray machines and labs to assess conditions such as fractures and infections. They are staffed with doctors who can provide a diagnosis, treat your condition, and prescribe medication.

As the demand for affordable, flexible healthcare options increases, it has become easier to obtain prompt medical care. Some urgent care clinics are freestanding while others are located within hospitals and medical centers. Many pharmacies now have retail health clinics that provide in-person and virtual visits, however many are considered “convenient care” as opposed to urgent care. Convenient care are geared more towards common colds, flu’s, physical’s, etc., whereas urgent cares are generally for a higher level of urgent care.

When to Go to the Emergency Room

Hospital emergency departments provide medical care generally 24/7, but unlike urgent care centers, they are also equipped for critical care life saving situations.

If you are facing a life-threatening emergency, skip the visit to the urgent care clinic; they are not equipped to provide the care needed and will either send you to the emergency room or call 9-1-1 for you. In a true emergency, this delay can have a profound effect on the outcome.

Go to the emergency room if you experience symptoms or situations such as:

• Changes in vision
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of consciousness
• Coughing or vomiting blood
• Severe trauma, particularly trauma to the head
• Symptoms of heart attack such as chest pain or pressure or clammy skin
• Severe bleeding or bleeding that does not stop after applying pressure for about five minutes
• Symptoms of stroke such as sudden weakness in the facial muscles or an arm or leg and difficulty speaking or understanding speech

Again, does the facility you are visiting say “URGENT CARE” or “EMERGENCY”?

Pay attention to the signs!

When to Stay Home

Even when you are feeling under the weather, a visit with a doctor is not always helpful. If your symptoms are mild, such as a low-grade fever (for adults, that is below 102.2 degrees) or aches and pains, an over-the-counter pain reliever, plenty of fluids and rest is probably all that is necessary. However, you should follow your own intuition.

If your symptoms worsen or do not resolve in a day or two, it may be time to schedule a visit with your primary care provider. An increasing number of doctors now offer virtual visits, and many health insurance plans cover these visits to the same extent as in-person visits. This makes it easy for your doctor to assess your condition without requiring you to leave your house.