Should I Visit Urgent Care or the Emergency Department? (2024)

FAQs

Should I Visit Urgent Care or the Emergency Department? ›

Ask yourself if your condition is fatal. If the answer is yes, go to the ER. If your situation is not severe enough to warrant immediate medical attention but still requires prompt care, visit an urgent care clinic.

If the injury or illness is life-threatening or could cause permanent disability, go to the ER. The emergency department is where you will get care for severe illnesses and injuries. If it's a life-threatening emergency, call 911 so first responders can provide care right away.

A medical urgency is a situation that requires quick medical attention but does not immediately endanger the patient's life. Medical urgencies, if not treated promptly, can evolve into an emergency, but initially they do not represent an immediate risk of life or permanent damage.

Severity of health problems

An Emergency Department treats life- or limb-threatening health conditions in people of all ages. It is the best option when you require immediate medical attention. Urgent Care is the middle ground between your primary care provider and the Emergency Department.

An emergency department visit may also be necessary if you have a feeling of weakness throughout the entire body that is accompanied by these symptoms: Associated fatigue. Fever. High heart rate (heart is racing)

Certain medical conditions are considered emergencies because they can require rapid or advanced treatments, including surgery, that are only available in a hospital setting. Symptoms that are best evaluated in an emergency room include: Chest pain or difficulty breathing. Weakness/numbness on one side.

Unless a condition is life-threatening, a trip to urgent care is generally a better use of a patient's time and resources to treat injuries, fevers, infections and other ailments. Urgent care centers often have far shorter wait times than the ER and cost less than a traditional hospital emergency room visit.

From my experience in working in the ER and according to several studies, including a report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the least busy times at the ER are during the early morning hours, specifically between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. During these hours, there are usually fewer patients, leading to ...

ERs generally see a decline in patient visits during the early morning hours. Furthermore, weekends, in contrast to popular belief, also tend to be less crowded. If your condition is not life-threatening but still requires immediate medical attention, considering these off-peak hours might be beneficial.

An emergency appointment is reserved for life-threatening conditions that require immediate attention, while an urgent appointment is for non-life-threatening conditions that still require prompt care but can wait for a short period of time.

Do emergency rooms prioritize patients? ›

Triage is the process of determining the severity of a patient's condition. Patients with the most severe emergencies receive immediate treatment. That is why some patients may receive medical care before you, even if they arrived at the ED after you.

For example, there are urgent situations that aren't emergencies, such as a minor sprain or a sinus infection. These conditions may not need treatment right away, but should be evaluated within the next 24 to 48 hours. Then there are situations where you should go straight to an emergency room as soon as possible.

Get emergency help if you have fatigue and any of the following: Chest pain. Shortness of breath. Irregular or fast heartbeat.

Seizures. Serious burns or cuts that won't stop bleeding or close. Severe allergic reaction. Severe cold or flu symptoms. Shortness of breath.

One of the main reasons for NU-ED visits is referral by physicians who percept a given medical condition as more urgent than it really is [19] [20] . Another reason for NU-ED visits is the availability of ED in terms of hours or geographical location.

Emergency rooms are best for treating:

When in doubt, or when facing a life-threatening condition, please contact 9-1-1 for emergency care. Urgent care locations are staffed and equipped to respond quickly to various non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

Changes in Mental Status, Confusion, or Disorientation

Several medical conditions can cause a sudden onset of severe changes in mental status. Included in these are strokes, seizures, medications, low insulin levels, and very high fevers. It's never a good idea to self-diagnose, so a trip to the ER is warranted.