Reasons to Visit an Emergency Room Instead of Urgent Care Clinic
1) Serious issues can be addressed right away
Emergencies are time sensitive. When you have a medical issue that is not a true emergency, it’s easy to postpone or avoid seeing a doctor altogether. This is why urgent care centers fill up fast. Emergencies are different. A heart attack isn’t going away if you wait a few days; it’s only getting worse. Minor issues can be addressed at another time: If you aren’t comfortable with your doctor and are experiencing minor issues, such as frequent colds or flu-like symptoms, or recurring infections, it may be worth visiting another medical professional or simply speaking with your physician about these complaints in more detail at your next appointment. In most cases, they don’t require further treatment and will likely disappear on their own in due time. An ER visit means paying out of pocket: Even if insurance covers any cost associated with an ER visit—and some do not—paying out of pocket can be costly and should always be avoided unless there really is no other option. While convenience might seem like a great reason to visit urgent care rather than head straight for the hospital, running into issues where insurance coverage doesn’t kick in could lead to hefty financial penalties that may leave you out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over time . There’s a greater chance you’ll get diagnosed quickly: An average walk-in clinic will typically have much smaller staff numbers than what you would find working alongside one at an emergency room.
Emergencies are time sensitive. When you have a medical issue that is not a true emergency, it’s easy to postpone or avoid seeing a doctor altogether. This is why urgent care centers fill up fast. Emergencies are different. A heart attack isn’t going away if you wait a few days; it’s only getting worse. Minor issues can be addressed at another time: If you aren’t comfortable with your doctor and are experiencing minor issues, such as frequent colds or flu-like symptoms, or recurring infections, it may be worth visiting another medical professional or simply speaking with your physician about these complaints in more detail at your next appointment. In most cases, they don’t require further treatment and will likely disappear on their own in due time. An ER visit means paying out of pocket: Even if insurance covers any cost associated with an ER visit—and some do not—paying out of pocket can be costly and should always be avoided unless there really is no other option. While convenience might seem like a great reason to visit urgent care rather than head straight for the hospital, running into issues where insurance coverage doesn’t kick in could lead to hefty financial penalties that may leave you out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over time . There’s a greater chance you’ll get diagnosed quickly: An average walk-in clinic will typically have much smaller staff numbers than what you would find working alongside one at an emergency room. As a result, you may experience longer waiting times and receive less individual attention when comparing urgent care clinics to hospitals. The chance of receiving proper diagnoses is also higher when dealing with full emergency departments staffed by doctors who specialize in multiple areas. Most ERs use triage systems to treat patients faster: In most cases, patients will spend fewer hours waiting for treatment in an ED compared to being seen at a local clinic.
