ER vs. UCC: When Is It an Emergency?
Accidents and other minor medical emergencies happen. And when they do, where should you go? Your immediate reaction might be to head to the emergency room (ER). But that may not be the best place to receive treatment.
Telehealth Services with your doctor or AvMed Virtual Visits:
Depending on the situation, a trip to the doctor’s office may be enough; or you may not even have to leave your home. Telehealth is a safe and easy way to attend a medical appointment. Many of the AvMed network providers offer convenient telehealth services, if your own personal doctor is not available. Avoid the long waits and high co-pays for minor health concerns such as allergies, cold & flus, cough, mild COVID-19 symptoms, throat or ear pain, headaches, insect bites, medication refills, pink eye and more. For more information or to request a Virtual Visit, powered by MDLive, go to Members.MDLive.com/AvMed.
Another easy and safe option is to to contact the AvMed Nurse On Call advice line, which provides you with an opportunity to speak confidentially with a nurse about minor ailments from your phone, tablet or computer. The AvMed Nurse on call can even recommend the best place for you to get any needed care based on the symptoms you are experiencing. Call 1-888-866-5432 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For more serious care, a visit to an urgent care center (UCC) may be a better alternative. However, figuring out when to visit a UCC instead of an ER can be confusing.
Here’s a quick guide to help you determine when to go to a UCC and when to go to the ER.
Urgent Care Centers 101
In a nutshell, an urgent care center is a medical facility that handles non-life-threatening health issues for people of all ages. These are a great solution for patients who need to quickly see a doctor when their Primary Care Physician (PCP) is unavailable (e.g., after hours). However, they are not a replacement for your annual visits to your PCP.
Some advantages of going to a UCC include lower out-of-pocket copayments, lower coinsurance rates and shorter waiting times. They’re also more convenient since urgent care centers are well-equipped to handle walk-ins and are often open for extended and weekend hours.
If your non-life-threatening health issue includes any of the following please visit an urgent care center.
- Fevers
- Strains
- Sprains
- Back pain
- Simple fractures
- Bronchitis
When to Visit an ER
Unlike urgent care centers, emergency rooms are designed to provide care for more serious and potentially life-threatening situations. They should not be used to treat minor ailments, as emergency room visits cost more and can involve longer wait times.
Call 911 for potentially life-threatening emergencies such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke or extended loss of consciousness.
To find an urgent care center near you, visit AvMed.org and click “Find an Urgent Care Center” on the left side of the home page.
Urgent Care centers...are a great solution
for patients who need to quickly see a doctor
when their Primary Care Physician (PCP) is unavailable.