Urgent care

What is urgent care?

Urgent care is for health issues that need treatment right away, but aren’t life threatening. This includes minor issues like colds, stomach pain, and small cuts.

You can see an urgent care doctor without an appointment. Most urgent care centers are open days, nights, weekends, and even holidays. You should go to urgent care when you can’t wait to see your regular doctor, but don't need to go to an emergency room (ER).

You should plan ahead. It’s best to know where the urgent care centers are near your home and work.

When should I go to urgent care?

You should go to urgent care for non-life-threatening issues. Some examples are:

• Accidents and falls
• Coughs and colds
• Headaches and dizziness
• Sprains and strains
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Minor cuts and burns
• Allergies and asthma

Why should I go to an urgent care center and not an emergency room?

Emergency rooms are for life-threatening health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, and major cuts that need surgery. Urgent care is for less serious health problems like a sore throat, back pain, or headaches. Urgent care usually takes less time and costs less than an emergency room.

How much will it cost?