No one ever wants to plan for an unexpected injury or illness. It can be a scary time. But the best way to prepare is to know your course of action if and when it happens. The last thing you want in an emergency situation is to think about whether you need to visit an Urgent Care Clinic or the Emergency Room. Here we’ll discuss what constitutes a visit to the Urgent Care Clinic vs. the Emergency Room.

Urgent Care

Urgent Care Clinics treat people of all ages, infants, children, adults, and seniors. Urgent Cares are able to treat people quickly for a variety of injuries or medical issues. As of 2016, according to the Urgent Care Association of America’s Benchmarking Report, there were about 7,357 urgent care centers in the United States. The main difference between an Urgent Care Clinic and the Emergency Room is Urgent Care is for non-emergency care or for people who need to be admitted to a hospital. However, Urgent Care Clinics are not a replacement for your Primary Care Physician.

Illness

• Abscess or Infections
• Abdominal Pain
• Allergies
• Cold and Flu
• Cough
• Ear Infection
• Fever
• Sore Throat
• Strep Throat
• Urinary Tract Infection

Injury

• Back Pain
• Bites and Stings
• Broken Bones
• Burns
• Cuts and Scrapes
• Dehydration
• Frostbite
• Heat Exhaustion
• Irritated Eyes
• Strains and Sprains
• X-rays

Wellness

• Immunizations
• Physicals
• Vaccinations

Emergency Room

Emergency Rooms also treat people of all ages. You should visit an Emergency Room when your injuries or illness require immediate treatment that can only be cared for in a hospital setting. There may be a time when you aren’t sure you can drive your loved one to the emergency room or you’re experiencing a threatening condition and are alone. Make sure to call 9-1-1 immediately in this kind of situation.

Illness

• Chest pain left arm or left jaw pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever with a rash
• Seizures
• Severe allergic reactions
• Severe cold or flu symptoms
• Slurred speech

Injury

• Broken bones
• Change in mental state
• Concussion
• Dislocated joints
• Eye injury
• Facial lacerations
• Fainting
• Head injury
• Serious burns
• Severe cuts that require stitches
• Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy