Have you ever faced a situation where you questioned whether or not you need to see an emergency room physician or could actually just go to an urgent care instead? If so, you aren’t alone. Many of Americans face that same decision every day. This is most likely because there is not a sure fire equation you can walk through to determine whether you need an emergency room physician or something less severe like a walk in clinic. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you do find yourself making that same decision for yourself or a loved one:
1. Emergency Rooms – So when is the right time to see an emergency room physician? A good rule of thumb is: if you are struggling with something internal that you can’t explain like dizziness or chest pain you may want to visit an emergency room rather than an urgent care clinic. This may be a shock to you, but dizziness is actually the second most common complaint heard in doctor’s offices, and happens to over 70% of Americans at some point throughout their lives. If you have symptoms that are concerning to you like chest pains or severe dizziness, don’t hesitate to get to the emergency room as soon as possible. Your life could depend on it.
2. Urgent Care Clinics – Thousands of Americans face health issues every day that cause them to decide where they should go to find the remedy for their illness. Because of their prevalence, urgent care clinics are becoming increasingly more popular. Not only are there dozens of urgent care facilities in a single city, but 85% of them are open seven days a week and have hours that range from 7am-7pm. Urgent care clinics are also increasing the amount of health issues that they treat. Many Americans think that urgent care doctors are only there to treat simple illnesses like the common cold, sore throats, and sinus issues, but the truth is that nearly every urgent care center today can provide x-rays, and other types of fracture care.
3. Other Options – The good news for Americans everywhere is that emergency rooms and urgent care clinics are not the only options for healthcare. There are, of course, private practices, specialists, physical therapists, and other healthcare officials that are available to help you with whatever you may need. If you are ever faced with an illness that requires medical attention and you aren’t sure whether you need to see an emergency room physician or if you can just visit the urgent care clinic down the street, it wouldn’t hurt to make a quick phone call to see which would be the best fit.
We all know that our healthcare is a huge priority, but often times when we are faced with health issues that seem to come out of nowhere. When that happens, you need to be clear on exactly where you should go to find treatments for those health issues. Whether you find yourself needing an emergency room physician or an urgent care clinic just focus on getting the help you need.