CH Allegheny Enterprise

emergency room or urgent care?

If you have an unexpected illness or injury, do you visit the emergency room or an urgent care center? Here’s a helpful guide to help you decide.

EMERGENCY ROOM For life-threatening conditions of all types, such as trauma or chest pains, you should always choose the ER.

URGENT CARE

For everyday illnesses and injuries that require timely attention, there is urgent care.

trauma or serious head injury

chest pain

respiratory distress

cuts and scrapes

fractures and sprains

colds, bronchitis and pneumonia

stroke symptoms

uncontrollable bleeding

unconsciousness

rashes and allergic reactions

vomiting and dehydration

asthma and wheezing

VISIT TIMES

Average Visit at MedExpress

Average Emergency Room Visit HOURS 1 OVER 4

HOUR 1

UNDER

AFFORDABLE

Average Cost of an Emergency Room Visit

$ 1,423 2

$ 155 3

Average Cost of an Urgent Care Visit

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a physician. It is information that is generally available. Each person has unique medical needs based on several factors including age, genetics, body type and build, medications, exposures to illness and medical history, to name a few. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition that you are experiencing. If you are suffering from a non-emergent medical situation, it is suggested that you visit the nearest MedExpress center or your family physician. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

2 Emergency Department Pulse Report, 2010, 2 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2013, 3 UCAOA Benchmarking Survey, 2011