Emergency Department vs. Urgent Care: Where to Go When You’re Under the Weather

When unexpected illness or injury strikes, your first instinct might be to go the emergency department (ED). But a trip to the ED is not always the best solution for your health. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice.

Determine the Severity of Your Symptoms

Go straight to the ED if your symptoms are severe: chest pains that feel like a heart attack or a fever with significant pain and persistent vomiting, for example. Keep in mind that, as a rule, EDs do not treat patients on a first-come, first-served basis. The sickest and most life-threatening cases are always treated first. That can lead to frustration and discomfort for those patients who could get relief faster in a more appropriate care setting.

If It’s Safe, Call Your Primary Care Provider

If your symptoms don’t seem life-threatening, call your primary care doctor first. A nurse or secretary will typically run the symptoms by your doctor and advise you on what to do.

Make Urgent Care Your Plan B

If you can’t wait until office hours or you don’t have a primary care provider, consider visiting an urgent care center instead of the ED. Not only will you get the care you need in a timely fashion, but you’ll also save yourself a lot of unnecessary expense. According to a 2018 Journal of the American Medical Association study, the cost for an ED visit to treat low-acuity conditions (such as sore throats, respiratory illnesses and urinary tract infections) jumped 79 percent between 2008 and 2015 alone.

You may be wondering: what if my case seems a little worse than the common cold? Urgent care can still be your best bet. Urgent care providers are trained to treat a broad range of conditions. And if your condition proves to be more complex than originally thought, an urgent care center can start your treatment and transfer you to the ED if necessary.

Schedule a Follow-Up Appointment

Once you’re on the mend, it’s strongly recommended that you make a follow-up appointment with your primary care physician. Let your provider’s office know what happened when you make the appointment, so they can get your records from the ED or urgent care center if necessary. At your appointment, be prepared to tell your doctor what you went in for, what medications you were given and what tests were run. It’s all important information your doctor needs to care for you moving forward.

ExpressCare Urgent Care Center is open for walk-in care from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, at the Mt. Airy Health & Wellness Pavilion (504 East Ridgeville Boulevard). To reserve an appointment in advance, visit WhyWaitInTheER.com/MtAiry.php

To explore all of the pavilion’s convenient services—including primary and specialty care providers, lab services and physical therapy—go to MtAiryHealth.org now.