About this topic
It may seem like illnesses and injuries only happen after your doctors office closes. It can be hard to decide where to go for care when you are sick or hurt. What about if you need a refill on your prescription? Knowing the best place to go for your care can save you time and money. ‚
General
You have a few choices to help you with your health. Each one may be used at different times, based on your health problem. ‚
Emergency Room ¢ ˆ ’ Open all day and night. Best used for serious illnesses or life threatening injuries. Always seek emergency help or call 911 in the United States or Canada if you have: ‚
- Signs of heart attack like:
- chest pain
- pain in your arm or jaw
- trouble breathing
- fast heartbeat
- feeling dizzy
- Signs of stroke like:
- sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- sudden severe headache with no known cause
- Very bad shortness of breath
- Overdose or poisoning
- Head injury or loss of consciousness
- Serious accidents, broken bones, bleeding
- Serious burns or breathing in smoke or poisonous fumes
- Thoughts of harming yourself or someone else
- Coughing or throwing up blood
Urgent Care Center or Walk-In Clinic ¢ ˆ ’ Often have evening and weekend hours. These are also a good choice for when your regular doctors office is closed. They are best used for health problems that need care within a few hours to keep them from getting worse. You may think about using an urgent care center for things like: ‚
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Earaches
- Cough and congestion
- Rashes or bug bites
- Mild cuts or burns
- Sprains and strains
Primary Doctor or Medical Home ¢ ˆ ’ Most often open during the week. Some have longer hours or weekend appointments. This is the best place to manage your overall health. Your regular doctor is the best person to help keep you healthy by taking care of: ‚
- Long term problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, or arthritis
- Your drugs. Call your regular doctor for your drug refills.
- The vaccines you need to keep you healthy
- Regular physicals and check-ups
- Common illnesses like colds, flu, fever, earaches, and more
- Your follow-up visit after being seen at an urgent care center or emergency room
Nurse Help Line or call your doctor ¢ ˆ ’ If you are not sure what to do or where to go. Start by calling your doctor. Your insurance company or local hospital may also have a nurse help line. You can tell them what your problem is and they will give you advice on what you should do. ‚
Self-Care Resources ¢ ˆ ’ Sometimes you can give care at home until your doctor's office opens. Use someone or something you trust to learn how to take care of your signs at home. This can also help you be ready if there is an emergency. ‚
Helpful tips
Be sure you know these phone numbers and places: ‚
- Your doctor and their after-hours number
- Nurse help line
- Urgent care center or walk-in clinic
- Emergency services and closest emergency department
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Pediatrics ‚
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/Emergency-Medical-Treatment.aspx ‚
Department of Health and Human Services ‚
https://marketplace.cms.gov/outreach-and-education/downloads/c2c-know-where-to-go-for-care.pdf ‚
Kids Health ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/emergencies.html ‚
Washington State hospital Association ‚
http://www.wsha.org/files/82/ERBrochure.pdf ‚
Last Reviewed Date
2015-09-10 ‚
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Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚