Urgent Care vs the ER: Where Should You Go?

Short answer

Go to urgent care, in person or virtual, for problems that need attention soon but are not life-threatening, like a cold, sinus pain, allergies, a minor rash or urinary symptoms. Go to the nearest emergency room for chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, severe bleeding or anything that feels severe or is getting worse fast. If you're unsure and it feels serious, choose the ER.

The quick difference

• Urgent care handles illnesses and minor injuries that need treatment soon but are not life-threatening. Many urgent care centers can do basic lab tests, X-rays and stitches, though services vary by location. If the clinicians there think your problem is more serious than they can handle, they will send you to an ER.
• The emergency room (ER) is for serious or possibly life-threatening conditions. ERs are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they see patients in order of how serious their condition is, not when they arrived.

The question to ask yourself is simple: could this be life-threatening? If the answer is yes, or might be yes, go to the ER. This is the same guidance you will find from Harvard Health, Cleveland Clinic, Optum and UCLA Health.

Go to the nearest emergency room for these

Public health sources list the same red flags again and again. Go to the nearest emergency room for:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Trouble breathing or severe shortness of breath
• Signs of a stroke, such as face drooping, arm weakness or slurred speech
• Severe bleeding that won't stop
• A seizure, fainting or loss of consciousness
• A serious head injury, especially with confusion, vomiting or passing out
• A severe allergic reaction, especially one that makes it hard to breathe
• Sudden, severe pain anywhere in the body, including severe belly pain
• A major injury or a severe burn
• Any symptom that feels severe or frightening, or is getting worse fast

This list is a guide, not a complete list, and it is not a way to diagnose yourself. If you're unsure and it feels serious, choose the ER.

When urgent care usually fits

Urgent care is a good fit when your symptoms are bothersome but stable, you need care within hours rather than minutes, and your regular doctor can't see you in time. It comes in two forms.

In-person urgent care makes sense when you may need hands-on care: a cut that may need stitches, a sprain, a possible simple fracture, or a problem that needs an X-ray or a quick test on site.

Virtual urgent care makes sense when a licensed clinician can review your symptoms remotely and recommend next steps. On the ACCESS 24/7 virtual urgent care page, common examples include:

• Colds, cough and sinus symptoms
• Allergies
• Minor skin concerns, such as rashes and irritation
• Urinary symptoms
• Stomach upset
• Follow-up questions after a recent visit or treatment

Virtual vs in-person urgent care

Virtual urgent care is about getting a clinician's eyes on your concern at any hour without leaving home. A clinician can review your symptoms, suggest care at home, or tell you when you need to be seen in person. For urinary symptoms, for example, that can mean testing or an in-person referral where appropriate.

In-person care is still needed for anything that requires a physical exam, a procedure or imaging. And virtual urgent care is for non-emergency concerns. If a clinician reviewing your symptoms thinks you need emergency care, they may tell you to go to the ER. If symptoms are severe or getting worse quickly, skip the virtual visit and go to the nearest emergency room.

People also ask whether urgent care costs less than the ER. The honest answer is that costs depend on your health coverage, the facility and the care you receive, so check your plan details before you need care.

What a 24/7 urgent care membership covers

A 24/7 urgent care membership gives you ongoing access to virtual urgent care for one recurring fee instead of paying each time you are seen. Here is how it works at ACCESS:

• 24/7 virtual urgent care for common, non-emergency concerns
• A licensed clinician reviews your symptoms and recommends next steps
• Included in every ACCESS membership, with no additional encounter fee
• Treatment, testing and prescriptions are always at the clinician's discretion and are never guaranteed, and some medications require an in-person evaluation

ACCESS membership pricing is published on the membership page:

• ACCESS Individual: $79/month for one member
• ACCESS Family: $229/month for a primary member plus up to 7 additional family members (8 people total)

Labs are available at an additional cost, starting at $150. Prescriptions and pharmacy costs vary. Monthly plans can be canceled anytime, effective at the end of the billing period. Prepaid 3-, 6- and 12-month terms aren't prorated.

Where ACCESS fits

ACCESS is one membership for everyday healthcare access. Alongside 24/7 urgent care, every membership includes virtual primary care, dermatology, care navigation, and behavioral health and counseling resources. Included core care encounters have no additional encounter fee. For how that works, read Are There Healthcare Memberships With No Extra Fee Per Visit?

Keep your health coverage for hospital stays, ER visits and other major medical costs. ACCESS is for the everyday, non-emergency moments in between: the sinus infection on a Sunday night, the rash that showed up this morning, the question you didn't get to ask. For more, see Is ACCESS Insurance? and the ACCESS FAQs.

FAQ

Care when you need it

24/7 virtual urgent care for non-emergencies is included in every ACCESS membership. Individual $79/mo · Family $229/mo. A doctor in your pocket.

See Membership Plans