By: Deepa Ravi, MD, FAAP
South Florida Medical Director, After Hours Pediatrics Urgent Care
You are with your daughter at a soccer game on a Sunday morning and she becomes short of breath with chest pain and nausea. Should you go to an urgent care or call 9-1-1?
It’s 7 PM on a Tuesday when your son is skateboarding and jumps a curb and rolls his ankle. Do you ice it and hope for the best or head to a nearby urgent care clinic?
It’s Wednesday at 10 AM, and your toddler has been suffering with fever and vomiting for several days now. Can this be ignored or should you call your doctor?
Sometimes when medical situations arise, it’s hard to know whether to call your primary care physician, visit the nearest urgent care center, or head straight to the emergency room. But there are some basic guidelines that can help you discern when and where to go the next time you or someone in your care is dealing with a medical issue.
Emergency rooms (ER’s) are set up to provide 24/7 treatment of the most serious and/or severe symptoms. They have advanced imaging and lab resources onsite and quick access to providers in specialty areas. Some examples of conditions that warrant an immediate trip to the ER include:
Emergency Room visits are expensive and often time-consuming, but the ER is always the best option for life or limb-threatening conditions. If you or someone in your care is experiencing difficulty breathing, signs of a stroke or heart attack, or a life-threatening injury, call 9-1-1 rather than driving to the nearest Emergency Room.
Urgent care centers have set hours which include evenings, weekends, and holidays, and most centers don’t require an appointment. They may offer X-ray and basic lab services. The purpose of urgent care is to treat urgent but non-life-threatening medical conditions that arise during hours when your primary care provider is unavailable.
Examples of conditions that are often treated in urgent care include:
Urgent care centers are typically less expensive and quicker than visiting an Emergency Room. They may be staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants. They provide a convenient and efficient option for after-hours illnesses and injuries or same-day appointments when your regular physician is unavailable. However, it’s important to remember that urgent care is designed to supplement rather than to replace your primary care provider.
Primary care providers (PCP’s) are set up to function as the hub of your healthcare. They are typically open regular business hours and provide preventive as well as routine healthcare for you and your family. Their goal is to help patients by providing comprehensive care, disease prevention, and diagnosis of acute and chronic illnesses, medication management, and patient education. Your PCP partners with you on an ongoing basis as you navigate the healthcare system. If you can schedule an appointment and be seen by your PCP, they are the best choice of care for non-life-threatening conditions since they know you and your medical history.
Examples of primary care offerings:
Primary care, urgent care, and emergency care are designed to work in tandem with each other to ensure that you have access to appropriate, quality healthcare wherever and whenever you need it.
Find our urgent care locations and hours here.
From my initial phone calling asking questions before I showed up.. to the excellent service by every person working .. I could not express how grateful I am to have found this place. I have told all my friends with kids about this place and have saved this contact in my phone in case needed in the future. Exceptional cleanliness, most friendly staff. Totally made my 2.5 old feel comfortable in a doctor office setting which is usually scary. Thank you!
– Jackie at After Hours Pediatrics, Lake Worth
