Is Urgent Care And Emergency Room The Same

An urgent care center provides quality care like an er but can save you hundreds of dollars.

Is urgent care and emergency room the same.

The difference between urgent care clinics and the emergency room er is the level of care and treatment that each facility are capable of providing. However there are distinct differences between hospital emergency rooms traditional urgent care centers or walk in. Michael menna do is board certified in emergency medicine. Still it s safe to say that if you have a non life threatening condition urgent care centers can handle it cheaper and quicker.

Also emergency rooms are open 24 7. Urgent care centers handle non life threatening situations and many are staffed with doctors and nurses who have access to x rays and labs. What are the differences. While they provide many of the same services they do not have the same pricing schedules or wait times.

Recognizing the differences between emergency and urgent care can be confusing because both terms imply there is a medical need that needs to be addressed quickly says shawn evans md an emergency medicine physician at scripps memorial hospital la jolla. The emergency department is also the place to go if you think you ve broken a bone as an urgent care center may be able to x ray it but if it s broken you ll likely need to be referred to an. If you have a life threatening situation go to your nearest emergency room or call 911. He is an attending emergency medicine physician at white plains hospital in white plains new york and also works at an urgent care center and a telemedicine company that provides care to patients across the country.

Many people see the terms urgent and emergency as being one and the same which can add to their confusion as to which to choose. When you suffer life threatening injuries or very severe illness the emergency room is the best option for immediate care. If you need care for a concern that feels like a serious threat to your health the emergency room is a better option than virtual or even irl urgent care. If the condition is life threatening go to an emergency room.

Nearly all the information on emergency room care is from 2016 or earlier and the data for urgent care centers is by observation from the american academy of urgent care medicine. The difference between urgent care and emergency rooms is the severity of the health problem. If the condition is a minor illness or injury take advantage of the convenience and affordability your local gohealth urgent care has to offer.