Know Where to Go

Emergency Room or Urgent Care?

Not sure where to go when someone in your family needs immediate medical care? The emergency room isn’t your only option. Knowing your options can save you time and money.

Some studies report that more than half of all patients who visit the ER don’t have emergency conditions. These patients could have been treated at an urgent care or Today’s Care, which usually have extended and weekend hours. Plus, most urgent care offices can perform X-rays and labs on site.

Average Wait Times
  • ER 4.5 hours*
  • Urgent and Today’s Care 30 minutes or less**
Average Costs
  • ER visit $2259*
  • Urgent care visit $176*

Today’s Care visit is often the same as a doctor visit co-pay.

To break it down, the ER is for life-threatening emergencies, which is why wait times are longer and costs are higher. Urgent care is for non-life-threating issues that still need to be treated quickly. And Today’s Care takes care of minor conditions that your family doctor could treat.

Know where to go when it comes to immediate care. You could save time, money, and even a life. 

You should visit an urgent care center
if you experience any of the following:
You should visit the nearest ER
if you have conditions which include:
  
  • Minor fractures
  • Chest pain
  • X-rays  
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Back pain
  • Stroke
  • Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea   
  • Head Trauma
  • Minor headaches to migranes
  • Severe Bleeding
  • Blood work 
  • Loss of vision
  • Bumps, cuts and scrapes
 
  • Ear Infections and sinuses
 
  • Vaccinations 
 
  • Cough or sore throat 
 
  • Lab services
 
  • Animal bites
 
  • Stitches
 
  • Sprains and strains
 
  • Mild asthma
 
  • Foreign objects in the eyes or nose
 
  • Allergies
 
  • Rashes and minor burns
 
  • Burning with urination
 
  • Eye irritation, swelling or pain
 
  • Minor allergic reactions
 
  • Cold or flu symptoms 
 
  • UTI’s
 
  • Fever (ER for infants and toddlers)