Urgent Care or Emergency Care?

When you need medical care right away, you may have to decide whether to go to an urgent care center or emergency room. Knowing where to go can help you get the right care and possibly save you time and money.

Urgent care centers and ERs have different purposes. It can help you to understand the differences before you’re facing an injury or illness that needs care. That way, you know where to turn.

• Urgent care: A place to get medical care for common conditions that need attention right away but aren’t life-threatening. 
• Emergency room: A specialized medical facility that can handle serious and life-threatening conditions. While people generally use the terms “emergency room” or “ER,” they are usually not just rooms. They are full departments, often located inside hospitals, that provide advanced medical care.

When to go to urgent care or an ER

Understanding whether to choose urgent care versus emergency care can help you get the treatment you need and may help you save time and money.

Urgent care

Choose an urgent care facility for symptoms that need attention right away but aren’t life-threatening. Think of urgent care as a place to turn if it’s after-hours or you can’t get an appointment with your primary care provider quickly.

You can often be in and out of an urgent care clinic in less than an hour for:

• Minor fractures, sprains, strains and other injuries 
• Common infections like ear, sinus or urinary tract infections
• Moderate dehydration
• Rashes or skin irritation
• Minor cuts and burns that may need stitches or dressing
• Cold and flu symptoms 
• Cough or sore throat 
• Fever
• Minor allergic reactions that don’t involve trouble breathing
• Minor work injuries
• Sports injuries 
• Sports physicals
• Abdominal pain
• Back pain
• Muscle pain
• Most animal and insect bites
• Asthma
• Pink eye
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Nosebleeds
• Vomiting

Emergency room

When should you go to the ER? An emergency room visit is the choice for symptoms that could be life-threatening or that need immediate advanced care.

Call 911 so an ambulance can take you to the emergency room or hospital if you are having a medical emergency or in cases where it’s not safe to drive yourself. It’s especially important to call 911 for symptoms of a heart attack or stroke since paramedics can start care right away when you’re headed to the hospital.

However, don’t call 911 because you think you will get care more quickly for a less serious concern. The ER treats people with the most serious issues first, regardless of how they arrive.

Reasons to go to the ER include: 

• Severe trauma, such as serious injuries from a car accident, fall or gunshot wound
• Signs of stroke like sudden weakness, numbness or slurred speech
• Chest pain or pressure or heart attack symptoms
• Sudden changes in vision
• Confusion or disorientation
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizure
• Overdose
• Coughing up blood
• Poisoning 
• Severe allergic reactions
• Severe bleeding
• Fractures where the bone comes through the skin
• Severe burns or cuts
• Sudden, severe pain
• Snake bites
• Fever over 103°F with a rash
• Severe vomiting for more than 24 hours
• Head injuries, concussions or trauma
• Vaginal bleeding if you’re pregnant
• Urgent care for a baby under 3 months old
• Mental health crises
• Thoughts of killing yourself or someone else
• Situations where your instinct or gut tells you it’s serious

If you’re not sure where you should go, you may want to call your health care provider. Even if it’s after hours, they may have someone on call who can give you advice.

Pros and cons of urgent care versus ER

Here are some of the benefits of urgent care compared to an ER:

• Shorter wait times and faster service for minor issues so you can get back to your daily activities more quickly.
• More locations, so you may be able to find one closer to where you live, work or go to school.
• Urgent care is generally more affordable, while ER visits can be significantly more expensive. Check your insurance plan to understand your coverage since costs vary.
• Availability on evenings, weekends and holidays when your health care provider’s office may be closed.
• No appointment is necessary - you can walk in and get care when you need it.

However, urgent care centers don’t have as many diagnostic tools or on-site specialists, and they aren’t designed to handle life-threatening conditions or emergencies. If you go to urgent care for a serious condition, you might need to be transferred to an ER. 

An ER provides these benefits compared to urgent care:

• Access to advanced diagnostic tools, equipment and specialists who can diagnose and treat complex health issues.
• Immediate treatment for severe injuries and illnesses that could quickly get worse.
• Emergency rooms are usually attached to a hospital facility and have access to surgical options when needed.
• 24/7 availability, ensuring that critical care is always accessible.

But you may wait longer and pay more for ER care. It may also feel overwhelming to go to the ER if you have a minor health issue.

Getting care

Making the right choice between urgent care and the ER can help you get the treatment you need and may save you time and money. As a trusted, leading health care network, Banner Health offers both urgent care and emergency rooms designed to care for health problems that can’t wait.

Our urgent care centers offer extended hours where you can get care from our experienced providers without an appointment. For some conditions, we offer virtual urgent care options so you can connect with care from home.

Find Banner Urgent Care

Our state-of-the-art emergency departments are available 24/7 and equipped to handle all critical emergencies. We offer comprehensive care that includes access to top specialists, advanced diagnostics and trauma care.

Find Banner Emergency Care