Urgent vs. Emergency: Finding the Right & Convenient Care For You

If you are feeling ill, deciding if you should visit an emergency room can be difficult. Emergency room visits can be costly. From the moment you see a nurse, you are racking up bills. However, your health should be your top priority and there are certain instances when urgent medical care is absolutely necessary.
Urgent Care vs. Emergency room in the past, visiting a hospital’s emergency department was the only way to receive convenient care in a walk-in setting. Emergency room visits were exhausting, mostly because it meant a long wait to see a doctor, hoping that a life-threatening emergency didn’t come in and jump to the front of the line. Luckily, hospitals and medical professionals have figured out that providing urgent emergency healthcare services could be better organized and provide more effective treatment. Thus the urgent care facility or department was born.

Urgent care centers are designed for those seeking medical treatment but know for a fact it is not a life-threatening ordeal. They are able to provide convenient and immediate care, usually at a lower cost than a hospital because they do not have all of the overhead that conventional medical facilities have. They are also designed to decrease patients’ wait times by limiting the type of emergency care they provide.

With the spread of urgent care facilities, people often hesitate to make an emergency room visit, and for good reason. A recent study found that up to 65% of emergency care needs can be taken care of at an urgent care facility. However, there are certain instances when an emergency room visit is unavoidable and necessary. Those times usually come when our life or the life of a loved one is at risk. An emergency room visit usually means a wider availability of medical professionals and equipment and emergency surgical services.

When To Visit Urgent Care

Visit an urgent care center if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Fever without a rash
• Sprain or strained muscle
• Minor cuts
• Dehydration
• Stomach pain

When To Visit an Emergency Room

Visit an emergency department if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing
• Excessive or reoccurring stomach pain
• Chest pains and/or difficulty breathing
• Deep and/or large cuts, especially if combined with non-stop bleeding
• Persistent sore throat, fever
• Vomiting
• Numbness, fainting, or dizziness

Give LegacyER a call today if you’re in need of immediate medical attention.