Urgent care or the emergency room? A short guide
We would much rather you called and asked than guessed. But most of the time, the answer follows a fairly simple rule.
Go to the emergency room for
Chest pain or pressure, trouble breathing, sudden weakness or difficulty speaking, heavy bleeding that will not stop, a serious head injury, severe abdominal pain, or thoughts of harming yourself. Call 911 rather than driving.
Come to us for
Fevers, coughs, sore throats, ear pain, sprains, cuts needing stitches, minor burns, rashes, urinary symptoms, mild asthma flares, and anything you would normally see a family doctor for but cannot wait weeks to book.
The cost difference is not small
A typical emergency room visit for a non-emergency runs into the thousands. Our self-pay urgent care visit is $149, and most insured patients pay a standard copay.
When in doubt, call us at (301) 555-0142. If we think you need an emergency room, we will tell you within a minute and help you get there.
Come see us if
Your problem is uncomfortable, painful or worrying but not life-threatening — that is exactly what urgent care exists for.