How Do I Know If I Need to Go to the Emergency Room?

 

If you injure yourself after your doctor’s office is closed for the day, where will you go? Instances like this one are why it is always a good idea to have a list handy of the nearest walk in medical clinics. Currently, there are bout 20,000 physicians are practicing Urgent Care Medicine. While an emergency ailment or injury will still require the extensive care that only the emergency room can provide, minor health problems can be treated at your local walk in clinic.

You might not have visited your nearest clinic before and wonder why you would go there and not to your doctor’s office. It’s simple actually: there are some medical issues that need attention quickly, and yet do not fall in the realm of a true emergency situation. This in-between level is where urgent care clinics operate.

Is the Medical Care Provided at an Urgent Care Facility Adequate?

The physicians that provide care at the walk in clinic passed the same medical exams as the doctors at the local hospital. The difference lies not in the quality of care, but in the extensiveness of the care offered at the different locations. The emergency room at a hospital will be ready to treat just about every physical ailment known to man. The urgent care facility will instead focus on treating fractures, administering intravenous fluids, and monitoring worrying fevers and other sicknesses.

What Exactly Can a Urgent Walk In Clinic Treat?

Each location will vary slightly in the care that is offered. For example, about four out of every five facilities offers fracture care for patients. But you don’t want to end up at one that doesn’t offer that specific care if that is your current medical problem. Most locations will offer I.V. fluids as needed, and of course their physicians will be able to advise patients on basic illnesses such as the common cold, influenza, and other upper respiratory infections.

Why Should I Go to a Walk In Clinic Instead of the Emergency Room?

If you are experiencing an emergency, you must go to the emergency room. An emergency situation is one in which the likelihood of losing a limb or even one’s life is a possibility. For example, bullet wounds; deep cuts or cuts to the abdominal region or neck; loss of consciousness, even if it is regained; strangulation; severe burns; symptoms of a heart attack; a fever of 100.1 degrees Fahrenheit in a newborn baby or of 104 degrees Fahrenheit in a child younger than 12 are all significant physical ailments. There are a few other circumstances as well, however a simple rule is that it is better to go to the E.R. if you are unsure.

When Should I Go to the Urgent Care?

An urgent care facility is for those other physical problems that you feel can not wait but are not going to result in death or the loss of a limb. The wait is usually much shorter than the average E.R. , which most patients appreciate. For example, every day about 25,000 Americans experience a sprained ankle. They know it needs the attention of a physician but they may not want to wait for a few hours in the emergency room. Having the option of a local clinic saves them time. To make the decision simple, remember that it is better to seek care before you feel absolutely terrible from being sick. You don’t want to run the risk of becoming so sick you are unable to seek treatment.

While an urgent care clinic cannot treat every ailment, these locations do fill a need. To get the most out of your local clinics, do your research before you get injured or fall ill. You’ll be able to find the closet establishment and will know the hours the clinic is open. Having this knowledge will save you a certain amount of stress under an already stressful situation. So do yourself a favor: be prepared for your next ailment, by looking into your local urgent care clinics.