Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room: Choosing the Right Facility for Your Needs

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Urgent Care
Emergency Room

• Deciding between an urgent care facility and the
  emergency room depends largely on the type of
  illness or injury you have.
• Put simply, the ER is meant to provide fast,
  life-or-limb-saving care.
• Conditions like a common cold or skin rash can be
  treated at an urgent care facility, while more
  serious conditions and life-threatening
  situations require emergency medical attention.

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• Urgent care treats a wide variety of
  non-life-threatening illnesses and conditions.
• Go to urgent care for
• Colds/flus/respiratory infections
• Ear infections
• Bladder infections
• Sprains
• Kidney stones
• Urinary tract infections
• STD treatment
• Vaginal bleeding of unknown cause
• Pregnancy diagnosis
• Athletes foot
• Poison ivy/poison oak

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• The ER treats all life-threatening emergencies,
  but sometimes it may be unclear when to go to the
  ER for a non-life-threatening emergency.
• Go to the ER if you have
• Major flesh wounds (lacerations)
• Broken bone(s)
• Heart attack/stroke symptoms
• Life-threatening allergic reactions (such as
  anaphylaxis)
• Blow to the head
• Serious burn
• Severe pain in your side

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There are approximately
129.8 Million
13.3 of these visits result in a hospital
admission.
ER visits per year in the U.S.
Approximately 14 - 27 of all emergency room
visits could have been handled by an urgent care
center.
The average ER wait time is 200 minutes (3.3
hours).
The average cost of a visit to the ER is 1,200.
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There are around 9,000 urgent care centers
nationwide. 75 of urgent care centers are
located in the suburbs.
The average urgent care wait time is 15 minutes,
and 69 of urgent care centers have a wait time
of less than 20 minutes.
California, Florida, and Texas have more urgent
care facilities than other states.
The average cost of a visit to urgent care is
200.
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• The Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA)
  and the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine
  (AAUCM) have established criteria for urgent care
  centers and the physicians who operate them.
  These criteria state that urgent care centers
  must
• Be open 7 days a week
• Accept walk-in patients during business hours
• Have diagnostic equipment on-site, including an
  X-ray machine and phlebotomy (blood-drawing)
  equipment
• Have multiple exam rooms
• Perform minor medical procedures and treat a
  broad spectrum of illnesses
• Have a licensed physician operating as the
  medical director

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• Both urgent care facilities and emergency rooms
  generally accept private insurance, Medicaid, and
  Medicare.
• The Xpress Costa Mesa urgent care clinic, for
  example, accepts HMOs (that are not designated to
  a specific group) and PPO plans with many
  carriers, as well as Medicare.
• Some urgent care centers and other medical
  facilities offer payment plans for patients who
  are paying out-of-pocket.

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• Conveniently located in Costa Mesa, California
  near Newport Beach, the Xpress Urgent Care clinic
  is designed to expedite patients medical needs.
  Our modern facility features state-of-the-art
  equipment, and no appointment is necessary. We
  treat kids and adults of all ages, and our short
  wait times and caring professional staff are what
  make us unique. Visit xurgentcare.com for hours
  and directions, or call us at 949-548-8400.