Urgent Care vs. the ER, what’s the difference and where should a patient go when they need to get treatment? Many people are unaware of the differences between the two, and how they can benefit from either treatment. This article will talk about how each option can benefit patients and when patients should opt to use them.
What is the difference between an urgent care center and an emergency room?
It can be tricky to know which one is which because the words “urgent” and “emergency” have similar meanings.
The similarities
Both an urgent care center and an emergency room at a hospital can cater to medical needs that occur after the doctor’s office closes. Life goes on after all, even if the doctor will not be available after hours.
The differences
The urgent care centers are open after the normal operating hours of the doctor to treat non-life threatening cases while the hospital emergency room is reserved for true-blue emergencies that cannot wait or be treated by a “band-aid solution” any longer.
Where should you go?
Many cases can be handled by each of these patient care centers. Knowing which center to go to for each case will benefit the patient and get them treated for their condition more quickly.
When to go to an urgent care center
An urgent care center can address many types of medical issues, but the issues that an urgent care center can provide treatment for are for those that are not emergencies that threaten the life of the patient. Examples include minor cuts and burns, dehydration, minor infections, fever and other symptoms, minor pains and other general health concerns. It may even be possible for a patient to seek treatment for a minor asthma attack at an urgent care center.
When to go to an emergency room
If the medical issues are more life-threatening, this is the time when the patient should be taken to a hospital emergency room. If you have broken bones, got into an accident and have severe bleeding, seizures, strokes, and other emergency medical issues, going to the emergency room would be the better option.
What is the difference?
The reason why minor health issues should be addressed by an urgent care center and life-threatening situations should be seen by medical professionals in an emergency room are because of the urgency of the issues. Most minor medical issues can wait until the next day or sometimes would not need any further treatment from a doctor.
However, for emergencies, the patients need medical care straight away. Most hospitals will have resident doctors that are on shift, even during the late hours of the night until the wee hours of the early morning. These doctors can provide the needed treatment these patients need because they cannot wait until the next day to get treatment.
Does it matter where you go?
It matters because the overuse of the emergency rooms in hospitals has been a prevailing problem. If a patient with a minor issue goes into the ER, they could be depriving or delaying treatment to a patient who needs emergency treatment more. While all patients are important and deserve to get treatment for whatever issues and conditions they are experiencing, there are always medical issues that may be considered more serious than others.
People who have medical issues that are minor but would still require urgent care should be encouraged to visit an urgent care center and then visit their regular doctor if the need be. This will help all the Filipino people who need health care be able to get treatment promptly.