Urgent Care

One of my pet peeves is misuse of the Emergency Room. Especially by people who aren't paying the bill themselves, so they aren't concerned by the cost. To help appease my frustration I will give examples of when an Emergency Room visit is appropriate: If you think your life is in danger, Part of your body may be permanently damaged, You have a new onset of SEVERE pain, Severe breathing problems Chest Pain Major bleeding Sudden unexplained loss of consciousness Referred to ER by Primary Care Physician If none of those is the case, try Urgent Care. Urgent Care clinics are appropriate for: Minor burns or injuries Broken bones needing x-rays Sprains and strains Earaches Minor allergic reactions Fever Flu-like symptoms Rash or other skin irritations Mild asthma attacks Animal or insect bites Minor broken bones Minor cuts and lacerations Many of the above are also able to be treated by a Primary Care Physician. Our PCP is excellent and can treat anything listed in the Urgent Care List. The doctor has even stayed late to pull a crayon out of my son's nose so we wouldn't have to go to Urgent Care. The co-pays for the Emergency room is typically significantly more than Urgent Care and Urgent Care is only a little more than a normal Dr Visit. Even if you aren't paying for it, please keep in mind that your choices of care affect premiums and taxes of those who are paying. Thanks for reading my rant.