Know When to Go to Your Family Doctor, Urgent Care or the Emergency Department
Injuries and illnesses are inevitable. You may be constantly alert for the most minor symptoms – for yourself or a loved one. But when something flares up, how do you know if it’s serious enough to go straight to the emergency department, urgent care or schedule an appointment with your primary care provider?
Knowing where to go when a health issue flares up can help prevent frustrations from long waits or being sent elsewhere, and it can also get you the prompt treatment you’re looking for.
“It’s true that urgent care can usually offer the same type of care your family doctor can provide for acute issues like coughs, colds and minor injuries,” said Dr. Matt Braniecki, D.O., a family medicine doctor at Firelands Physician Group Port Clinton Family Medicine. “They can treat most non-life-threatening conditions, but chronic issues can’t be treated at urgent care. That’s why it’s important to know when to go to urgent care and when to schedule an appointment with your doctor.”
If you’re experiencing symptoms of a minor illness, such as a migraine, sore throat, cough, or congestion, try to schedule an appointment with your doctor the same day, if possible. All Firelands Physician Group primary care providers, like Dr. Braniecki, offer same-day appointments for these instances.
However, Dr. Braniecki stresses that urgent care should never replace your primary care provider.
“Your doctor should be a part of your overall health and wellness – whether you’re sick or not,” Dr. Braniecki said. “Having an ongoing relationship with a primary care provider ensures you have a partner in health who is looking out for you not just right now, but into the future.”
Go to your primary care provider regularly so they can help with the following:
- Common illnesses such as colds, flu, ear infections or skin rashes.
- Monitor chronic conditions or risk factors leading to chronic illness
- Track your blood pressure
- Watch your weight
- Make sure your immunizations are up to date
- Discuss appropriate screenings for your age/gender and risk factors
- Refill your prescriptions as appropriate
Urgent Care
You may be surprised at what urgent care can treat. Firelands Physician Group Urgent Cares in Sandusky and Clyde both have imaging services for sprains and strains that may require X-rays. They can even perform sports physicals.
If you have one of the following conditions or symptoms, consider going to urgent care instead of to the nearest emergency room:
- Asthma and wheezing
- Cold and flu symptoms
- Ear or eye infections
- Insect bites and skin conditions
- Minor lacerations (if you see a bone or cut a tendon, head to the ED)
- Nausea/vomiting
- Respiratory infections
- Strains and sprains
- Rashes
Use urgent care when:
- You need to be seen promptly by a healthcare provider
- You are unable to get an appointment with your provider
- It is after-hours
- You do not have a primary care provider
The Emergency Department
Urgent care is perfect for treating conditions that can’t wait until tomorrow but aren’t life-threatening. Emergency departments are for life-threatening situations. Emergency departments at hospitals will have more resources and specialists at their disposal.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call 9-1-1 or go to the emergency department:
- Alcohol or drug overdose
- Chest pain, tightness in the chest
- Fainting, sudden loss of consciousness
- Rape or sexual assault
- Seizure
- Severe dizziness, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea
- Shortness of breath
- Sudden change or loss of vision
- Sudden confusion or change in mental state
- Sudden numbness or paralysis
- Suicidal or homicidal feelings/thoughts
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Possible broken bone
