The Difference Between Emergency and Urgent Care

Over the years, urgent care centers have become more and more popular, and for good reason. Say you get a small cut on your hand or are suffering from a minor skin rash, these are both instances when you’d benefit from urgent care services.

But unfortunately, urgent care can’t replace emergency services in the case of a life-threatening condition, accident, or illness.

Emergency Care vs. Urgent Care

The main difference between emergency care and urgent care is the severity of injuries and conditions they treat. An urgent care facility can handle minor scrapes and bruises, as well as common illnesses like a bad cough or sinus infection. However, you should never go to urgent care if you’re experiencing a potentially life-threatening illness or serious medical condition.

When to Choose Emergency Care

If you’re ever unsure of where you should go, choose emergency care, as they are fully equipped to deal with every and any condition.

Our emergency center is equipped to handle:

• Chest pain: Chest pain can be a sign of multiple conditions, including a heart attack.
• Trouble breathing: Difficulty breathing is a serious symptom of many illnesses. If not treated quickly, it’s possible to stop breathing.
• Stroke: If you or someone you know experiences a stroke, the first few minutes are critical. Our team is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is always ready to locate the cause of a stroke.
• Heart attack: Every minute counts when you’re dealing with a heart attack. If you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or pain in your arm, it’s important that you contact 911 immediately.
• Severe bleeding: Major injuries (car accidents, sports injuries, etc.) should always be cared for in a hospital or emergency unit.

Infants and the elderly should also receive emergency care for what may sometimes be viewed as a minor illness (i.e., cold, cough, rash, fever).

If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1 immediately and request an ambulance. For more information, please call the main hospital line at 626-898-8000.