Do you know if it's an emergency?

  • Published
  • By Shari Lopatin
  • TriWest Healthcare Alliance
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  Did you know the cost of an emergency room visit is typically as much as 10 times more than an urgent care visit?

Although the emergency room can appear a convenient and available choice, some situations may be best suited for urgent care. Do you know the differences? Take a look:

Urgent care examples
An illness or injury that won't cause disability or death if not treated immediately, but needs medical attention to keep from becoming a greater threat.
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Earaches
  • Migraine headaches
  • Sprains
  • Rising fever
  • Minor lacerations
Emergency room examples
Anything severe enough to reasonably believe life, limb or eyesight could be threatened. This includes maternity and psychiatric emergencies, as well as:
  • No pulse
  • Inability to breathe
  • Spinal cord or back injury
  • Severe bleeding
  • Chest pains
  • Severe eye injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Car accident
Besides the extra cost, emergency rooms are normally crowded, which could equal longer wait times for you. So the next time you're getting ready to run to the ER, ask yourself:

Is this REALLY an emergency?

Make the right choice and save space for patients who truly need emergency care.

For more on the differences between emergency room and urgent care, visit www.triwest.com/UrgentCare.