It should be a cut-and-dried answer, but it’s not always easy to decide what level of care you should choose when you’ve suffered an injury or illness. Most issues can be handled by a quick call and appointment with your Primary Care Physician.
But there are times when you want a health issue solved immediately or after regular hours and are forced to choose between Urgent Care or a trip to the Emergency Room.
Let’s face it, you’d always rather avoid a hospital emergency room visit – not only due to wait lines and inconveniences, but also simple cost, as some emergency room visits can prove expensive. And since Longstreet Clinic’s Urgent Care is attached to its Primary Care Clinic, Urgent Care visitors are able to pay the same co-pay as an office visit.
How to decide where to go
It might also surprise you to know that a 2015 Centers for Disease Control survey revealed that, of 136.9 million emergency room visits, only 9% resulted in admission to the hospital for further care, and only 1% resulted in admission to the critical care unit, meaning that most emergency room visits resulted in care that could have been provided elsewhere.
In fact, sprains and strains are among the most common diagnoses of emergency room visitors – something that can most definitely be attended to by Urgent or Primary Care. With that in mind, here are some general rules to observe about when it’s probably better to take your problem to our Urgent Care instead of the emergency room.
When in doubt, consult your personal physician. If you experience an emergency, dial 9-1-1.
Using your best judgment but being informed ahead of time can help you make the right decision when facing illness or injury. With 200 board certified care providers, 18 specialties and 11 locations, Longstreet Clinic offers comprehensive healthcare to all manner of patients, including Urgent and Primary Care options.
Find a provider here.
