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When Should You Go to Urgent Care vs ER in Lithia, FL

When Should You Go to Urgent Care vs ER in Lithia, FL?

PrimeHealth Urgent Care, supervised by Dr. Alfonso Espinel, MD, offers swift and cost-effective treatment for non-life-threatening issues. Emergency rooms handle severe conditions and injuries, providing comprehensive care. Choose the right level of care based on your condition for timely treatment and guidance. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 5660 Fishhawk Crossing Blvd, Lithia, FL 33547.

When Should You Go to Urgent Care vs ER in Lithia, FL?
When Should You Go to Urgent Care vs ER in Lithia, FL?

Table of Contents:

Is urgent care faster than ER?
What is the difference between urgent care and emergency care?
Is it better to go to urgent care or the ER?
What are some benefits of going to urgent care instead of an ER?

Urgent care clinics and emergency rooms function in similar ways but also have key differences in the way they provide medical care. It can sometimes be confusing to know whether you should visit an urgent care clinic or an emergency room department for your medical concerns. At PrimeHealth Urgent Care, our medical doctors can provide medical care for health concerns that are not life-threatening. We can also let you know when it is better to visit an emergency room and when you should come to an urgent care clinic!

Is urgent care faster than ER?


In many cases, urgent care clinics can provide medical attention faster than emergency rooms. Like emergency rooms, urgent care clinics conduct patient evaluations for each patient upon arrival to determine if each patient should see a doctor immediately or if they can wait in line. With that being said, urgent care clinics can see many patients on a first-come, first-served basis with much more frequency than emergency rooms because they do not see patients with life-threatening medical emergencies. In this way, urgent care clinics can see patients with less critical medical concerns faster than emergency rooms, which prioritize patients according to the severity of their condition.

What is the difference between urgent care and emergency care?


The primary difference between urgent care clinics and emergency departments is that urgent care clinics are not sufficiently equipped to treat life-threatening medical emergencies, while emergency departments exist primarily to provide life-saving medical care for patients dealing with life-threatening medical emergencies. As such, urgent care clinics cater to individuals dealing with mild to moderate medical emergencies, while emergency rooms prioritize treating individuals who are dealing with life-threatening medical emergencies.

Is it better to go to urgent care or the ER?


There are numerous occasions when going to an urgent care clinic is more beneficial than going to the emergency room. However, urgent care clinics are not always the better option, as emergency rooms are the only medical facilities that can provide treatment for life-threatening medical emergencies. The only time it is better to go to the emergency room is if you are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency. For any other medical concern, an urgent care clinic is likely a better option.

Some signs that you should go to the emergency room instead of an urgent care clinic include the following:

• Anaphylactic shock or severe allergic reactions
• Broken bones where the bone breaks through the skin, also known as a compound fracture
• Chest pain or tightness
• Coughing or vomiting up blood
• Deep wound with heavy bleeding
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Drug overdose or alcohol poisoning
• Extreme and unbearable pain
• High fever that occurs with both a headache and neck stiffness
• Loss of consciousness, fainting, or passing out
• Seizures
• Severe or third-degree burns
• Sudden confusion, weakness, inability to see or speak, or droopiness on one side of the body

What are some benefits of going to urgent care instead of an ER?


If you are not dealing with a life-threatening medical emergency, there can be many benefits of going to an urgent care clinic instead of an emergency room. Not only do urgent care clinics have shorter wait times on average, but their services are also much less expensive than emergency rooms. Since emergency rooms prioritize patients according to the severity of their condition, patients with less critical medical concerns can end up spending long hours in the waiting room of emergency departments. In this way, you will save both time and money by visiting an urgent care clinic instead of an emergency department for any medical concern that is not a life-threatening emergency.

For an appointment with us at PrimeHealth Urgent Care or more information about urgent care and emergency rooms, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 5660 Fishhawk Crossing Blvd, Lithia, FL 33547. We serve patients from Lithia FL, Balm FL, Keysville FL, Hopewell FL, and surrounding areas.

Directions to PrimeHealth Urgent Care in Florida

Port Charlotte, FL

  • 23951 Peachland Blvd, Unit 1, Port Charlotte, FL 33954
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Parrish, FL

Bradenton, FL

Sarasota, FL

Lithia, FL

  • 5660 Fishhawk Crossing Blvd, Lithia, FL 33547
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Lehigh Acres, FL

  • 5781 Lee Blvd., Suite 302 Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
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Estero, FL

  • 20321 Grand Oaks Shoppes Dr. unit 308 Estero, FL 33928
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Ellenton, FL

West Bradenton, FL