Should you go to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room ?

Should you go to Urgent Care or the
Emergency Room?
We all have sudden health care needs. Injury or illness
mostly appears out of the blue. It is unexpected and
all too often, you panic about the next steps to take.
Imagine you wake up in the middle of the night
experiencing severe abdominal pain. Or your toddler
catches the flu on the weekend.
You are confused about whether to pop a pill or visit
the healthcare practitioner for advice.

You are uncertain about where to go for diagnosis,
especially if the symptoms are intense and the office
of your family doctor is closed.
Deciding what you need to do in such a situation may
not be easy.
But, if you know the difference between urgent care
and emergency care, deciding on where you must go
to seek treatment can save your life in a medical
emergency.

How is the Emergency Room different from
Urgent Care?
The word ‘emergency’ and ‘urgent’ seem to be
synonymous. Both seem to imply the need to address
a medical situation quickly.
However, certain differences make an emergency
room different from an urgent care center, including
the level of care they are equipped to provide at each
clinic.

The purpose of an urgent care medical clinic is to
provide services in situations when your regular
doctor is not available.
These clinics generally have a walk-in environment
which means that you don’t need to wait for an
appointment.
If you suffer from a sudden injury or illness that you
think can be taken care of by a primary care doctor,
you can easily visit an urgent care center. This is more
appropriate compared to an emergency room.
The emergency departments of a hospital offer
medical care 24/7, sometimes including weekends
and holidays.

However, these services are even for the most critical
ailments, including life-threatening situations.
The emergency room is the right choice for heart
attack, stroke,
or traumatic injuries after a car accident. Moreover,
the number of patients that the emergency department
can attend is limited.
They have an experienced team of healthcare
practitioners who can handle a range of medical
problems that need immediate treatment.

When to visit Urgent Care?
Many patients visit the emergency room just because
their doctor’s office is closed or they cannot get an
appointment. It is important to note that emergency
care is different from urgent care.
Several medical problems can be resolved by doctors
available at the emergency clinic. Urgent care
centers are same-day clinics.
They have an experienced team of healthcare
practitioners who can handle a range of medical
problems that need immediate treatment.

To list, some of the symptoms that can be checked
and treated at an urgent care clinic are:
● Vomiting
● Persistent diarrhea
● Dehydration
● Sprains and strains
● Minor cuts requiring stitches
● Shortness of breath or wheezing
● Abdominal pain
● High fever without a rash
● Moderate flu-like symptoms
Urgent care clinics cannot act as an alternative to your
primary care doctor but can efficiently address your
medical needs.
They may not have your past medical records but
have immediate diagnostic centers and services to
evaluate your condition and prescribe relevant
treatment. Urgent care centers are available any time,
day or night, seven days of the week, and also on
holidays and weekends.
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