Don’t pay more than you need to!
Usually a 1-story building
Urgent Care is for health problems that need to be treated right away but are NOT a danger to your life, or a risk of losing a limb. For example, Urgent Care can treat a sore throat, fever, flu, vomiting, sprains, or headaches.
You should use Urgent Care when your doctor is not available, outside of normal office hours (nights and weekends), or when you need medical attention right away.
At least a 6-story building
A hospital Emergency Room is for life-threatening health emergencies, such as a heart attack, stroke, or major cut that needs surgery.
These Emergency Rooms (often called ERs) are part of a hospital. They are usually located inside the hospital and you can be admitted to the hospital that it is connected to, if needed.
Usually a 1-story building
A freestanding Emergency Room (ER) is an Emergency Room that is not attached to a hospital. The problem is that it looks like an Urgent Care and you may go there by mistake.
People often get confused and go there when they don’t have an emergency. But a visit to one of these locations is the same as going to a hospital ER. However, it can lead to higher costs and an extra visit to a hospital ER.