Do I Need To Go To The Emergency Room?

December 3,2015

Accidents and health concerns don't always present themselves during normal business hours. When a person gets sick or is involved in an accident after their doctors office has already closed, they now have the option of going to the emergency room or visiting an urgent care facility. Urgent care facilities offer many of the same services as a doctor's office, but stay open much longer, sometimes 24 hours a day. The medical staff at an urgent care facility are capable of handling most injuries as long as they are not life threatening. For acute illnesses and severe injuries, an emergency room visit is called for.

Urgent care facilities are designed to take the place of a primary care physician's office when they are closed or unavailable for any reason. Their medical staff can effectively care for patients with minor injuries and illnesses that would have normally called for a visit to the doctor. In most cases, a patient can be diagnosed, offered the care and treatment they need and sent home to begin the recovery process. If, for any reason, the medical staff feels that the level of care the patient needs is beyond their scope of treatment, they will be immediately referred to the nearest emergency room.

Conditions that require an emergency room visit include heart attack, stroke, traumatic injuries, open fractures, severe bleeding (both internal and external) and any conditions that are life threatening. If a person has any doubt about how severe an injury or illness really is, the first call should be 9-1-1. While urgent care facilities are available to help save time and money, they are no replacement for immediate care in trauma situations.