When your health, or a loved one’s health, is at stake, it can be difficult to differentiate between what is an emergency, and what is simply an urgent health matter. Knowing in advance when to choose one facility over the other is the best way to get the appropriate care, in the appropriate amount of time. So, when should you go to the emergency clinic, and when should you go to the emergency room? Here are a few tips.
Emergency Clinic
For many healthcare providers, the emergency clinic and urgent care are the same thing.
- Cough, Cold, Fever, Flu, Sore Throat, Strep, Bronchitis, or Pneumonia
- Infections of the Eye, Ear, Sinus, Urinary Tract or Bladder
- Strain, Sprain, Fracture, or Dislocation
- Burns and Lacerations
- Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
- Allergic Reactions
- Pain
Emergency Room
As a general rule of thumb, if you can add “severe” or “life-threatening” before any of the previous ailments and injuries listed, then you would be better served by the emergency room. Other ER-worthy injuries and illnesses include the following:
- Heart Attack or Stroke Symptoms
- Difficulty Breathing, Seeing, or Speaking
- Loss of Consciousness
- Injury to the Head, or Eye
- Imbalance, Weakness, Paralysis
- Broken Bones
- Newborn With Fever
- Internal Bleeding
If you are still not sure which medical facility to bring your health issues to, then the best solution to this conundrum may be to contact your local emergency clinic, and ask them for yourself what they are prepared to treat. If there’s an injury or illness that could wait a day or two, then you may want to visit your primary care center, a walk-in clinic, or a health clinic instead, depending on whichever facility you typically use. Choosing the right facility is important to getting the right care, so familiarize yourself with the facilities that are available to you, and the conditions that they are prepared to treat. For more, read this link: San antonio mri scan