When an unexpected health issue arises, your first thought may be to head to the nearest emergency room (ER). But when those illnesses and injuries aren’t true emergencies, visiting an urgent care center may be your best option for care and can save you both time and money.
Urgent care centers, such as CityDoc Urgent Care, offer high-quality care for common illnesses and non-life threatening injuries, with walk-in, after-hours and weekend availability. Due to shorter wait times and lower cost, urgent care centers often are a more convenient and affordable option for a variety of health situations.
Is it an urgency or an emergency? That’s what you need to ask yourself.
According to the Urgent Care Association of America (
UCAOA), up to 27% of all ER visits could take place at an urgent care center. The use of urgent care centers is a suitable, more affordable alternative to the ER for less serious issues, such as the following:
- Strains and Sprains
- Ear or Sinus Pain
- Cough or Sore Throat
- Foreign Object in Eye/Nose
- Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea
- Minor Allergic Reactions
- Minor Fractures
When to head to the ER
Urgent care is not appropriate for all situations and is not appropriate for emergency care. Emergency rooms are equipped to handle life- and limb-threatening situations like heart attacks, strokes, major bleeding and severe burns.
If you are contacting CityDoc after hours of operation or feel that you are having an
emergency, please dial 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room.
Source: Urgent Care Association of America (
UCAOA)
