Share this:
Photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash
In an emergency medical situation, your number one priority is to get the treatment you need as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The scope and level of treatment you receive can depend on your situation and also whether you have gone to an urgent care facility run by someone like Instacare, for instance, or turned up at an emergency room (ER).
Let’s take a look at the key differences between the two so that you can make an informed decision as to which option is best based on your medical needs and how best to get the treatment required.
What are the symptoms?
The fundamental difference between urgent care and ER is often best explained by how critical and life-threatening your medical situation is.
If you have suffered a trauma or have an illness that is worsening rapidly should you head to the nearest ER or could you get the treatment needed by visiting an urgent care facility?
When to go to an emergency room
Here is a look at a couple of typical scenarios where a visit to ER is the most appropriate option.
If you have had to call the emergency services because you have been involved in an accident, for example, you will be taken to ER for further evaluation of your injuries and possible immediate treatment, if required.
If you become what could be classed as systematically sick, that would also be a situation that warrants a visit to ER. What this means is when you are in severe pain, your entire body is impacted by pain or other unexplained symptoms, or you believe you have suffered an allergic reaction.
In a nutshell, if your health is deteriorating rapidly or you think that you might have suffered a cardiac arrest your decision should be to get to an emergency room.
When urgent care is the best option
The bottom line is that urgent care covers most of the options when it comes to getting treatment. You should consider visiting an urgent care facility when your medical situation is not considered life-threatening or an emergency.
If you have a minor injury or have a fever, for instance, these are two classic examples of when urgent care is more appropriate than going to an ER unit.
A key point to remember is that urgent care staff have the medical knowledge and follow a duty of care that has your best interests at heart. This means that they can always connect you to a higher level of care if it is decided that you need more urgent treatment.
Shorter waiting times
Another important point to consider is that you are far more likely to be seen quickly if you attend an urgent care facility rather than going to an ER facility.
Waiting times are regularly much shorter in urgent care centers.
There is also the aspect of cost to consider. It often costs less to be attended by an urgent care practice compared to what you might pay for a typical emergency room visit.
If your medical situation is not considered a critical medical emergency it is often better to go down the urgent care route rather than opting for ER. You can always get further medical help once you have been assessed, so urgent care is a better option for speed, efficiency, and cost.