Emergency Rooms vs Urgent Care Centers: Know the Difference

Dealing with an illness or injury can be stressful, especially when you need to decide where to go for treatment. Should you head to the emergency room or visit an urgent care center instead? Knowing the difference between these two options can help you make the right choice.

When to Choose the Emergency Room

Emergency rooms are equipped to handle serious, life-threatening conditions that require immediate emergency medical care. Here are some situations when you should go straight to the ER:

Heart attack or stroke symptoms like chest pain, trouble breathing, loss of vision, weakness, loss of consciousness, etc. These require emergency care to prevent disability or death.
Major injuries from accidents like head trauma, broken bones, heavy bleeding, etc. The ER has the specialists and equipment needed to assess and treat major trauma.
Sudden, severe pain or pressure in the chest, abdomen, head or elsewhere that could signal a life-threatening issue. Better safe than sorry.
Severe allergic reactions with swelling, hives, trouble breathing. This can rapidly become fatal without swift emergency treatment.
Poisoning or suspected overdose that causes confusion, vomiting, seizures or unconsciousness. Rapid treatment can prevent serious damage.
Complications of pregnancy like bleeding, preterm labor, placental abruption. These can threaten mom and baby.
Any other condition you think may kill or disable you or someone else without immediate emergency care.

So if you think you’re having a true emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest ER. But if you aren’t sure, read on to learn when urgent care may be the better option.

Choosing Urgent Care Over the ER

Urgent care centers provide fast walk-in care for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries that still require prompt attention. Here are some examples of when urgent care is the best place to go:

Sprains, strains and simple fractures – an urgent care doctor can splint fractures and sprains and order x-rays. No need to sit for hours in the busy ER.
Minor cuts and burns – urgent care can stitch wounds, treat burns and order antibiotics if needed.
Skin rashes and infections – urgent care can test for strep, staph and other infections and prescribe medication.
Flu, colds and sore throats – urgent care can test for flu and strep and give IV fluids if you are dehydrated.
Fevers and vomiting/diarrhea – urgent care can give anti-nausea meds, rehydrate you with IV fluids and run tests to uncover the cause.
Minor broken bones – an urgent care doctor can splint fractures and order x-rays then refer you to an orthopedist.
Urinary tract infections – urgent care can analyze a urine sample, diagnose a UTI and prescribe antibiotics.
Migraines and severe headaches – urgent care can give pain-relieving injections and prescribe oral medications.

So if you have a non-life-threatening illness or injury that still needs timely treatment, urgent care is often faster and cheaper than the ER.

Key Differences Between the ER and Urgent Care

CostER visits typically cost much more than urgent care – often thousands of dollars more depending on the tests and treatments provided. Urgent care costs are usually comparable to seeing a primary care doctor.Wait TimesERs must triage patients and treat the sickest first, so unless you have a life-threatening emergency you may wait hours. Urgent care waits are usually less than an hour.HoursERs are open 24/7 and are always ready for serious emergencies. Urgent care centers have more limited hours but many are open evenings and weekends.Doctors and StaffER doctors are emergency medicine specialists focused on stabilizing critically ill or injured patients before referring them to hospital units or specialists for ongoing care. Urgent care clinics have family medicine and ER doctors who can treat a wide range of common illnesses and injuries.Tests and Treatment OptionsERs are fully equipped to run complex tests like CT scans and MRIs and perform surgeries and other intensive treatments. They can handle severe trauma, heart attacks, strokes, major broken bones, dangerous infections requiring hospitalization, and other critical issues. Urgent care centers have an in-house lab for basic testing and x-rays, but they will refer patients to the ER for complex imaging, intensive treatment, or hospital admission.So in summary, know when to choose the ER for potentially fatal emergencies, and when you’ll get faster care for minor issues at urgent care. This can save you time, money and stress!

Questions and Answers

Still unsure whether to go to the ER or urgent care? Here are answers to some common questions.Can I go to urgent care instead of the ER to save money?Yes, if you don’t have a potentially life-threatening condition, urgent care is a more affordable option for illnesses and minor injuries. But don’t hesitate to go to the ER if you have severe, worsening symptoms, as delaying emergency care can risk disability or death.What conditions can urgent care treat?Urgent care clinics can treat sprains, strains, minor broken bones, cuts, burns, rashes, fever, infections, vomiting, diarrhea, severe headaches, urinary tract infections and other common medical issues that aren’t immediately life-threatening.When should I choose the ER over urgent care?Go to the ER right away if you have severe chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of stroke, major trauma from an accident, sudden severe pain, poisoning/overdose, complications of pregnancy, or any other condition that seems like it could kill or disable you or someone else without emergency care.Can I go to urgent care for COVID-19 testing or treatment?Yes, many urgent care centers now offer COVID-19 testing, treatment for mild cases, and monoclonal antibodies for high-risk patients. However, if you have severe COVID pneumonia causing critically low oxygen levels, go to the ER.What if I go to urgent care but they say I should be in the ER?Urgent care staff will send you to the closest ER if they determine your condition is too complex or severe for them to treat on site. This is for your safety.Do I need an appointment for urgent care?Urgent care clinics treat walk-in patients on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment needed. However, you can sometimes book an appointment online to reduce wait times.Is urgent care part of my health insurance network?Many major health insurance plans have urgent care facilities in their network, but the coverage may differ. Check with your insurer to find in-network options before your visit.

The Takeaway

Knowing when to take a trip to the ER versus urgent care comes down to understanding the severity of your medical issue and the capabilities of each facility. The ER is for potentially fatal emergencies while urgent care handles non-life-threatening illnesses and minor injuries.Urgent care is often faster and cheaper for common health issues, so don’t just default to the ER out of habit. But if you have crushing chest pain or sudden weakness and numbness, call 911 rather than wasting precious time. Every minute counts with major emergencies.Trust your instincts and when in doubt, err on the side of caution by choosing the ER. The doctors there can always refer you to urgent care if your issue ends up being minor. Stay informed, know your options, and get the care you need quickly!

Resources

Reddit discussion on experiences with urgent care vs the ER for sprains/fractures: https://www.reddit.com/r/healthcare/comments/mgrc3b/urgent_care_vs_er_for_sprainsfractures/Quora post with additional views on the differences between emergency rooms and urgent care: https://www.quora.com/Whats-the-difference-between-the-ER-and-urgent-careAvvo article going into more detail on which option to choose based on symptoms: https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/when-to-take-your-child-to-the-er-vs-urgent-care

Emergency Rooms vs Urgent Care Centers: Know the Difference