Urgent Care - vs - Emergency Room

Urgent Care is a convenient, walk-in care service (usually no appointment is necessary), for a variety of minor injuries and illnesses such as respiratory illnesses, sprains and fractures, sore throats, ear and skin infections.

Urgent Care facilities do not see seriously ill patients who require a lot of time and attention. This means that patients wait a much shorter time to see a doctor than during a visit to an emergency room.

Urgent Care facilities are usually stand-alone clinics that do not carry the expensive costs of emergency rooms, therefore a visit to urgent care for stitches will generally be a lot less costly than a visit to the emergency room. Urgent care facilities see many conditions for which people can go to their primary care doctor; they fill the gaps when people cannot get in to their own doctor on the same day, or until people find a primary care physician. It is recommended that anyone with ongoing health issues requiring regular follow-up obtain a primary care doctor. Primary care doctors provide a continuity of care that is valuable for patients, as over time the physician comes to understand the patient’s personality, family, and living conditions, enabling them to provide the best care for patients over the long term. Patients visit the Urgent Care because they are out of town, become ill during non-office hours, or are unable to get a prompt appointment with their regular physician.

Any accident or illness that may lead to loss of life or limb, serious medical complications or permanent disability should be evaluated in the emergency department of a local hospital.

Examples of conditions that we commonly evaluate in our urgent care center include (this is not a complete list):

  • Sore throats
  • Allergies
  • Ear infections
  • Rashes
  • Poison ivy
  • Minor skin infections and burns
  • Laceration repair and wound care
  • Fractures and athletic injuries
  • Respiratory illnesses
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Dehydration
  • Headaches
  • Backaches
  • Mild stomachaches
  • Minor eye problems and nose bleeds
  • Gynecologic and urinary problems

Emergency Departments are located within hospitals and are prepared to care for patients suffering true emergencies such as heart attacks, serious motor vehicle accidents, suicide attempts and other life threatening conditions. Located within a hospital, these centers are able to provide access to major surgeries and critical care units. Emergency departments are staffed by physicians with specialized training or board certification in emergency medicine. Often in towns where there is no urgent care center, patients with less serious conditions go to the emergency room for care. Although the emergency room staff can see these patients, the sicker patients always take priority, which means that those with minor injuries or illnesses may wait a long time to be seen. Also, because emergency rooms are backed-up by operating theaters, critical care units, and other expensive hospital facilities, they charge ‘facility fees’ on their bills which can add hundreds of dollars to an emergency room visit.

Examples of conditions that should be evaluated in the ER include
(this is not a complete list):

  • Chest pain
  • Severe difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Sudden dizziness, loss of coordination or balance
  • Numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Sudden blurred vision
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Sudden, severe headache
  • Seizures
  • Coughing up or vomiting blood
  • Severe burns
  • Deep cuts or bleeding that won't stop
  • Fractures with bone showing
  • Overdoses