Emergency Room or Urgent Care?
/If you're faced with a sudden illness or injury, choosing where to seek medical attention can be crucial to your personal and financial well-being. Listed below is a guide to selecting the appropriate place of care.
You should visit the Emergency Room (ER) for the following conditions:
- Compound fractures
- Moderate to severe burns
- Uncontrollable bleeding
- Deep knife or gunshot wounds
- Serious head, neck or back injuries
- Seizures or lack of consciousness
- Signs of a heart attack or stroke
- Severe abdominal pain
- Poisoning
You should visit an Urgent Care Center for the following conditions:
- Sprains or strains
- Skin rashes and infections
- Ear infections
- Sore throat, fever or cough
- Flu symptoms
- Minor broken bones (toes, fingers, etc.)
- Vomiting, diarrhea or dehydration
- Diagnostic Services
*Please note that emergency rooms are equipped to handle life-threatening injuries and other serious conditions. Although urgent care centers are usually more cost effective, they are not substitutes for emergency care.
This is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice.
