There is never a good time to suffer an injury or illness. It can be especially unsettling when you need immediate medical attention and your primary doctor is unavailable. Emergency rooms must take patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries first, so patients with non life-threatening medical issues will have a long wait. That is when you should visit Charles River Medical Associates Urgent Care. Learn more about when you should go to urgent care.
We want you to be as informed as possible about your medical choices, so we’ve put together a list of common conditions that warrant a trip to an urgent care center (instead of an emergency room). Our urgent care center helps fill a vital gap when you are in need of immediate medical attention when your doctors office is closed..
Urgent care versus the emergency room
The differences between ‘emergency’ and ‘urgent’ care can be confusing because each word implies there is a medical issue that needs rapid attention. Here is an easy way to determine which service is right for you: If your sudden illness or injury is something you would normally address with your primary doctor, then urgent care is likely more appropriate than an emergency room. Emergency rooms should be reserved for the most serious, often life-threatening medical issues. Emergency room services can be very expensive, costing an average of 85 percent or more per visit, as compared to urgent care.
When to go to urgent care center instead of an emergency room
If you find yourself in an urgent situation, but are unsure if you need to visit an emergency room, take a look at the conditions below that are commonly treated at urgent care centers:
- Eye irritation
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Flu symptoms
- Migraine
- Cough and cold
- Sore throat
- Mild asthma attacks or other breathing issues
- Vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration
- Rash
- Urinary tract infections
- Minor cuts and scrapes
- Sprains and strains
- Minor broken bones
- Tick bites
Visit Charles River Medical Associates Urgent Care when you need prompt, high-quality, compassionate care for your non life-threatening medical problems. We accept patients on a walk-in or scheduled basis. Schedule your urgent care online or call 508-665-4393.
