Know, Then Go: Education is Vital for Appropriate Care

You return home from grocery shopping Saturday morning, only to stumble up the stairs and find yourself with a swollen ankle. You can't put weight on it and the swelling shows signs of bruising.

You pick the children up from school, only to find out that your youngest has a sore throat and fever.

All too often, illness or injury appears out of the blue. Should you head to the emergency department or urgent care?

Knowing where to seek medical care makes a big difference. While the answer is not always simple, understanding the basics can help you save time and money, but most importantly, ensure you receive the right level of care.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Flail, co-director for South Georgia Medical Center's Emergency Department and Urgent Care Center, recognizing the difference between 'emergency' and 'urgent' care can be difficult because both terms imply a medical need that needs to be addressed quickly.

"There are distinct differences between the level of care provided at hospital emergency departments and urgent care facilities," says Dr. Flail. "Our ERs are equipped to handle the most complex or critical medical needs, which include life and limb threatening situations ranging from a heart attack and stroke to traumatic injuries following an accident."

For non-life threatening illnesses and injuries, Dr. Flail shares that there are a few reasons your primary care physician (PCP) should be your first call.

"Your PCP knows you and your health history, including what medications you take and any chronic conditions that should be considered in your treatment," says Dr. Flail.

However, if you don't have an established PCP or if your PCP is unavailable, an Urgent Care center may be your next best choice as they typically accept walk-in patients and are open after-hours and on weekends.

"Urgent Care is the middle ground between a PCP and the ER. If you have a minor illness or injury that just can't wait until a regular appointment, Urgent Care fills that gap."

Urgent care centers generally have shorter wait times compared to an ER, and in most cases, the out-of-pocket cost is also lower. However, it's always a good idea to check to see what is covered by your insurance plan.

A good rule of thumb: if your sudden illness or injury is something you would normally feel comfortable addressing with your PCP, then an urgent care setting is probably more appropriate than the ER. | VM

SGMC offers the entire continuum of care, including 12 primary care offices, four emergency departments, and an urgent care center. For more information, visit sgmc.org

Dr. Elizabeth

DO Emergency Medicine