Urgent Care vs ER Q&A

In situations where an individual is experiencing a medical concern that is not life-threatening, an open urgent care clinic is typically a much faster option than the emergency room. Urgent care clinics do not see patients who are experiencing medical concerns that are potentially life-threatening. As such, the number of patients that require immediate care at an urgent care clinic is far less than those in an emergency room.

Consequently, while both urgent care clinics and emergency rooms conduct patient evaluations for each patient upon arrival to determine if they should receive medical attention immediately or if they can safely wait in line, urgent care clinics see patients on a first-come, first-served basis more frequently than emergency rooms, which significantly reduces the amount of time patients spend in the waiting room.

Of the many similarities between urgent care and emergency care, their differences are the most significant.

As such, the most significant difference between urgent care and emergency care is that urgent care clinics are not sufficiently equipped to handle life-threatening medical emergencies, while emergency care departments exist primarily for the treatment of individuals experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies.

If the urgent care clinic is open, it is always a better option to go to the urgent care clinic if you are dealing with a medical concern that is not life-threatening. However, if you are dealing with a life-threatening medical emergency, it is always better to go to the emergency room, as urgent care clinics are not sufficiently equipped to handle such emergencies.

As such, some signs that your medical concern may be life-threatening, requiring emergency room care.

The following conditions can be treated at an urgent care facility:

• Strains and sprains
• Suspected limb fractures
• Minor head trauma
• Slashes and grazes
• Stings and bites
• Minor burns and scalds
• Infections of the ears and throat
• Rashes and skin infections
• Problems with the eyes
• Colds and coughs
• High body temperature in both children and adults
• Stomach pain, sickness (Vomiting), and diarrhea

In situations where you are not dealing with a life-threatening medical emergency, the benefits of going to an urgent care clinic significantly outweigh those of going to an emergency room. In addition to saving you time in the waiting room, urgent care clinics will save you money! Urgent care clinic services are generally far less expensive than those provided in an emergency room. Moreover, you do not need to worry that you will sacrifice quality for convenience, as most urgent care clinics have medical doctors and professionals that have equivalent qualifications to those in an emergency room.

For more information about the differences between urgent care and emergency care, please feel free to call us at Getwell Urgent Care! Call us today or schedule an appointment online, or Visit our clinic conveniently located at 650 W. Olive Ave Suite B Merced CA 95348. We look forward to serving you! We serve patients from Merced CA, Atwater CA, The Grove CA, Bear Creek CA, Planada CA, and Athlone CA.