When should I go to an urgent care center (walk-in clinic) vs. an emergency room?
• For non-emergency assistance, urgent care centers (also called ambulatory care centers) provide prompt, quality service. They are staffed with qualified doctors and nurses who can handle medical problems like cuts and colds, flu symptoms, minor fractures, sprains and burns, ear infections, allergic reactions, animal bites, sprains and even immunizations. • In a medical emergency—including shortness of breath, severe abdominal or chest pains, uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness, changes in vision, severe vomiting or other life-threatening condition—call 911 or visit the nearest hospital emergency room.
