Urgent Care vs. ER - What to know and when to go

By Dr. Sunil Budhrani, Chief Medical Officer & Chief Medical Informatics Officer at Innovation Health

You aren’t feeling well but your primary care physician’s office is closed and you need to see a doctor now. For many in Northern Virginia your first thought may be to go to the ER, because you know it’s open and you don’t need an appointment. But the ER can be expensive and if it’s busy you may wait for care.

As an ER doctor I know that not everyone is aware that for many of their medical needs an urgent care could be a faster, more cost effective option. An average urgent care visit can save you hundreds in medical costs compared to a trip to the ER. And a recent a national study found that 90 percent of urgent care visits lasted less than an hour. What’s more, heading to an urgent care can put you on the road to recovery faster than waiting at an ER for a non-emergency.

Urgent care centers help handle minor injuries, sore throats and runny noses, and can even help you and your family with physicals for sports and school. These centers also have extended hours and a few are even open 24/7.

While an urgent care can help you with non-life threatening symptoms like coughs and colds, the nearest ER is the right choice if your symptoms are severe, like chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, weakness or difficulty speaking.

We’ve developed a handy chart to help you decide where to seek care the next time you aren’t feeling well and your doctor’s office is closed.

Once you decide which is right for you, it’s time to get you feeling better! Inova has 15 urgent care centers in Northern Virginia that are open 7 days a week with no appointment required. Find your nearest urgent care center here. And if your symptoms require care at an ER, you can use the Inova app to find your nearest ER and check wait times.

Be sure to print your own copy so you can always find the care that’s right for you!