Life sometimes gives you ice-cream, and sometimes lemons. You can’t predict what’s going to happen next. Sometimes tragedy is a part of our life and on rare occasions, it can happen in the middle of the night or during the weekend when no one is working.
In those times we are forced to go to the emergency room. This is a lot of stress but it also costs a lot of money too. Of course, not all injuries and troubles we encounter deserve the treatment of the ER. The problem is we have no choice but to go there as no other doctor is working and is ready to treat us.
That’s why it’s good to know that not every situation deserves going to the emergency room. Some situations are not life-threatening and you can visit the urgent care centers. A lot of people are not aware of these centers and how they work. In this article, we’re going to talk a little more on this subject. If you’re interested in the topic, please do find nearest urgent care centers to your location.
How urgent care centers work?
The good side of urgent medical centers is that they work 24/7 and you don’t need an appointment to get treatment. The first moment you get injured, just go to the nearest care center. Most of these centers don’t take appointments so you’ll have to wait in the line if there is any. Those that accept appointments are rare, but think about it, if you get injured in the middle of the night you don’t really have time to make an appointment, right?
However, it’s good to know what options you have nearby. Open a locator and find a center near you before you get injured. See their policy, find out how they work, what kind of insurance they accept and is there an option for online check-ins. Online check-in is great because in this case, you can tell the staff at the center why are you coming and let them get prepared so you don’t have to wait too much.
When to use an urgent care center?
Let’s get clear right away – life-threatening injuries are not for the urgent care center. This is time for 911 and the ER. The urgent care center is meant for health problems and injuries that are not too serious but it’s not wise to wait 24 hours and go to your regular doctor. So what kinds of injuries require urgent medical attention and going to the care center?
Having a cut that requires stitching but is not life-threatening. High blood pressure, asthma attacks, accidents that involve falls or bumps, rashes, infections, flu symptoms, fever, heavy cough, vomiting and similar flu symptoms that might become more serious if not treated soon. Also serious injuries on parts of the body that won’t cause severe problems, like broken bones on fingers.
When to use the ER
It’s important to make a difference between serious and not so serious injuries. Some things might look like nothing important but when you get to the urgent care center they’ll immediately call 911 or send you to the ER. So, to not get yourself in this labyrinth of hospitals, make sure you recognize a serious life-threatening injury and go directly to the ER. What are the serious situations that require 911 or ER medical attention?
If you drank something that’s toxic and you probably have poisoning. When you break bones or have severe bleeding. Also, faints, losing consciousness, extremely high blood pressure, all injuries around your neck need serious medical approach, hearth problems, severe pain in the chest, gunshot wounds, blade injuries, etc. See more serious injuries here: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000593.htm
Conclusion
Make sure you find out where near you is an urgent care center and have it on speed dial at all times. You never know when you’ll need it. However, don’t rely on the fact that they will help you in any situation. Have their number, but better rush to the ER if something serious and life-threatening happens. Also, don’t go to the hospital every time you sneeze. Don’t waste your time and the time of the doctors.
