When you or a loved one is experiencing a sudden illness or injury it can be confusing to know where to get care. If you are like most people, you’d rather avoid an unnecessary trip to the hospital ER.
When to use Urgent Care?
Urgent Care is a rapidly growing area of healthcare providing easy access to care with typically shorter wait times than busy emergency departments.
Urgent Care is designed to treat urgent medical needs that are not life threatening, but still require prompt attention. Urgent Care clinics are frequently open during the day, but also in the evening and weekends when your doctor’s office is closed. They are intended to fill the gap between care provided by your physician’s office hours and the emergency department.
Typical minor illnesses or injuries that are appropriate for Urgent Care include:
- Ear pain
- Eye irritation
- Fever or flu
- Minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises
- Minor broken bones and fractures (i.e. fingers, toes)
- Skin rashes and infections
- Sore throat or cough
- Sprains and strains
- Urinary burning
- Vomiting, diarrhea or dehydration
Urgent Care is not intended to replace the services of your family physician.
When to use Emergency Care?
Emergency Care is for patients with symptoms that may indicate a life-threatening illness or injury. Some examples of these are:
- Abdominal pain
- Alcohol or drug intoxication or overdose
- Amputations or severe lacerations
- Bone fractures
- Facial or eye trauma
- Fever in newborn (less than 3 months old)
- Gunshot or knife wounds
- Heavy, uncontrolled bleeding
- Loss of consciousness
- Moderate to severe burns
- Poisoning
- Pregnancy-related problems
- Seizures or convulsions
- Serious head, neck or back injury
- Severe chest pain
- Severe headache
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Signs of heart attack or stroke
- Suicidal or homicidal feelings
Level of Care
If you go to a hospital that offers both Emergency and Urgent Care services such as Stoughton Hospital, the staff will first conduct a preliminary assessment to determine the appropriate level of care (emergency or urgent care visit). This assessment is made based on the presenting symptoms and charges are based on the level of care needed and delivered. For example, if the doctor feels you need to have an EKG, Ultrasound, MRI or CT scan to help diagnose your problem, this would likely make your visit an Emergency Care visit.
Just a Reminder
Whatever type of care you need, emergent or urgent, please remember that patients are treated according to the severity of their illness or injury. There may be times when patients with non-life-threatening injuries may be asked to wait while the more seriously ill receive care.
