When it comes to your healthcare choices, it’s wonderful to have so many options. Many people with the help of Maryland slip and fall attorney are discovering the benefits of their local urgent care clinic for dealing with minor conditions. Urgent care is also great for routine exams and bloodwork, school or work physicals, and conditions like colds and flus. However, urgent care isn’t meant to be a replacement for the hospital or for the emergency room. So, how do you know when to go to urgent care, and when to go elsewhere?
It’s important to know when your condition requires a trip to the ER, as opposed to urgent care, as this can be life-saving. However, some people end up going to the ER or even waiting to see their primary care physician in office when their needs could be met by their local urgent care clinic easily and quickly.
Urgent care clinics like DuPage Immediate Care are equipped with lots of great services and offerings, including x-rays, IV therapy, blood testing, and more. However, urgent care facilities do not have the resources needed to handle life-threatening emergencies. Emergency rooms and hospitals are better suited for situations that are complex or critical, including anything that threatens life or limb. Things like heart attacks, strokes, and injuries following car accidents are always best treated in the ER.
A good rule of thumb would be, if you would be comfortable having your condition treated by your primary care physician in office, but don’t want to deal with the long waiting periods to get in, urgent care near Shore Pkwy may be a good choice for you. Things like minor bruises and scrapes, cold and flu symptoms, UTIs, sprains and strains, allergies, and similar conditions can be handled by urgent care.
When should you go to the ER? Any time there is a potentially serious threat, such as seizures, severe bleeding, chest pain, head injury, and similar symptoms. If you are in doubt, you can always go to the ER, or you can call your local urgent care clinic for guidance. The helpful staff here at DuPage Immediate Care is always here to help you find the appropriate care for your needs.