Urgent Care vs. Emergency Department – Where Should I Go?

If you have a health concern that is NOT emergent, always try to see your family doctor first. He or she should be your main medical contact because he or she knows you best and can coordinate your care with specialists or other resources if needed. Your primary care provider will also help you stay on top of your annual check-ups and age-appropriate tests. You can keep in touch with him or her via MyChart, where you both have access to all of your medications, family history, test results and more. If you are in need of a primary care physician, try our Find a Doc service.

Go to your nearest MercyCare Urgent Care clinic when you have a health issue that needs immediate attention but is not a life-threatening emergency. When you experience a minor accident or sudden illness and your family doctor is not open or is unable to fit you into their schedule, Urgent Care is the right place to be. Urgent care visits normally cost less than ER visits, and you can even view your wait times with On My Way or choose your arrival time using eArrival.

Here are some examples of appropriate concerns for Urgent Care:

• Cold, cough or the flu
• Severe sore throat
• Ear, eye or skin infection
• Simple cut
• Fever without a rash
• Minor burn
• Muscle sprain or strain
• Respiratory infection
• Bone fracture
• Painful urination
• Persistent diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Migraine headache
• STD testing

Remember: Urgent Care is NOT the place to go if you are experiencing chest pain or stroke symptoms. They will send you to the hospital and you may have wasted precious minutes.

Go to Mercy’s Emergency Department if you are experiencing a health issue that requires immediate attention and is life- or limb-threatening if not treated immediately. Use your best judgment. But, if you are not sure, go to the Emergency Department. It is open 24/7 and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to handle serious health emergencies. All Mercy Emergency Department physicians are board-certified in emergency medicine – a level of experience and education not required by every emergency facility.

Here are some examples of appropriate concerns for the Emergency Department:

• Heart attack symptoms (chest pain; shortness of breath; pain/discomfort in arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach; nausea; dizziness; cold sweats; unexplained feelings of anxiety, fatigue, or weakness)
• Stroke symptoms (sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, leg or face; sudden confusion or trouble understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; sudden severe headache with no known cause; face drooping; speech difficulty)
• Persistent shortness of breath or wheezing
• Severe pain in your abdomen
• A loss of balance or fainting
• Difficulty speaking
• Weakness, paralysis or numbness
• Severe heart palpitations
• Sudden, severe headache
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Uncontrolled, repeated vomiting
• A severe allergic reaction
• Sudden testicular pain or swelling
• Poisoning or suspected overdose
• Seizure without previous diagnosis of epilepsy
• A newborn with a fever
• Head or eye injuries or loss of vision
• A deep cut
• A serious burn

Always call 9-1-1 for immediate help.