In this article:
- What is Urgent Care?
- When to go to an Urgent Care Center?
- What is an Emergency Room?
- When to go to an Emergency Room?
We’ve all been there—it’s the weekend, and you’re feeling rough. Your throat hurts, your head is pounding, and a fever is starting to creep in. It doesn’t feel like an emergency yet, but it definitely can’t wait until Monday. So… where do you go? Is this an ER situation or can an urgent care help?
Read for more details below.
What is Urgent Care?
An urgent care is a walk-in clinic where you generally do not need to set an appointment. It is helpful for addressing basic injuries and illnesses that any primary care doctor can also treat. As the name suggests, urgent care centers provide care when there is a non-emergency situation that you may need to get checked urgently and is convenient in terms of wait times, availability outside of primary care office hours like the weekends. There are plenty of urgent care centers available in all areas of the US.
When you walk into an urgent care near you, the doctors are well equipped at treating you and performing basic tests along with scans and vaccinations. They can also prescribe you the appropriate medication for your illness or injury. At urgent care facilities, cop-pays are generally available depending on if the clinic accepts your healthcare insurance.
When to go to an Urgent Care?
If it’s a non-life threatening situation, it is better to go to an urgent care instead of an ER. Urgent cares have a shorter wait time and also cost less than an emergency room. You should go to an urgent care near you if you experience any of the following:
- Flu or cold symptoms
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Minor Injuries
- Minor fractures/sprains/strains
What is an Emergency Room?
Emergency rooms or ERs are usually in a traditional hospital setting for emergent or life-threatening situations. Most ERs near you are open 24 hours a day every day, including holidays. ERs are also a walk-in care set up and you cannot set an appointment. The wait times are usually longer at an ER as compared to urgent care centers due to the constant influx of emergent cases. It can also be more expensive than an urgent care and insurance coverage often gets tricky, and your visit may not be covered.
When to go to an Emergency Room?
Please call 911 if you are experiencing any life-threatening emergency or seek immediate care at an ER near you.
You should seek help at an ER near you if you experience:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
- Broken bones
- Vomiting that continues for several hours.
- Severe abdominal pain
- Poisoning
- Uncontrollable bleeding from deep cuts and wounds
Knowing the differences between an urgent care center and emergency room helps you choose the right place to visit based on the severity of your symptoms and helps save time and cost along with getting the right care at the right time and place.
