Emergency Room, Urgent Care or Call 911: What To Do in an Emergency

You should generally go to the emergency room if you believe you are experiencing a life-threatening injury or illness, and you should call 911 to request an ambulance to take you to the nearest emergency department if you cannot transport yourself there safely. Conversely, you should go to an urgent care center if your life is not in immediate danger but you need care sooner than you could get an appointment with your primary care physician (PCP).

Keep reading for more emergency room vs. urgent care comparisons that can help you understand what health care option makes the most sense in your situation and when to call 911.

On This Page

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  What Is an Emergency Room (ER)?

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  What Is Urgent Care?

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  Emergency Room vs. Urgent Care: Cost Differences

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  When Should You Dial 911?

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  How Do You Choose Between the ER, Urgent Care or Calling 911?

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  FAQs

What Is an Emergency Room (ER)?

Also known as an emergency department (ED), an emergency room (ER) is a facility in a hospital that provides care to individuals who don’t have an appointment but are in need of prompt medical attention. Unlike hospital outpatient clinics, ERs are open and staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.^[1] In addition, every ER in the country that accepts payment from Medicare is required to treat you even if you are uninsured.^[2]

An ER is generally the destination of choice for anyone experiencing an illness that affects their entire body, a serious injury, a sudden onset of debilitating symptoms, a long-lasting fever, difficulty breathing or moving a body part, a major allergic reaction, lack of consciousness, signs of a stroke or heart attack, chest pain, severe burns or heavy bleeding.^[3][4]

ER visits have an average wait time of around two hours.^[4] Of course, you should note that ER doctors go through a process known as triage to determine which patients need care most urgently, so you should be treated fairly quickly if you have a very serious condition but may have to wait longer if your condition is not life-threatening.

Do All Hospitals Have an ER?

Although some hospitals do not have emergency rooms, the vast majority of them do. In 2020, there were as many as 5,594 ERs and 6,093 total hospitals throughout the United States, which means that around 92% of hospitals across the country had an emergency department as of 2020.^[5][6]

What Is Urgent Care?

Urgent care refers to treatment you receive in a walk-in clinic for a condition that is serious but not life-threatening. Urgent care centers often treat people suffering from mild to moderate cold symptoms, sore throats, infections requiring antibiotics, muscle sprains or strains, back pain or minor bone fractures.^[3][4]

An urgent care clinic may agree to see patients who don’t have health insurance, but it may not be required to do so unless it is part of a hospital that has an ED and accepts Medicare.^[2] Additionally, patients at an urgent care center are often seen on a first-come, first-served basis, which leads to lower average wait times of around 30 minutes.^[4]

Do All Hospitals Have Urgent Care Centers?

Not all hospitals have urgent care centers; in fact, many urgent care centers operate independently, unlike hospital ERs. However, it’s worth noting that many hospitals have their own outpatient departments, which function similarly to urgent care centers in that they allow patients to be diagnosed or treated without being admitted to the hospital.

Emergency Room vs. Urgent Care: Cost Differences

The average cost of an emergency room visit without insurance is around $2,700. Conversely, urgent care visits cost $185 on average, making them far cheaper than ER visits, although this may be partially attributed to the fact that ER patients often require more intensive treatment than urgent care patients.^[4]

When Should You Dial 911?

In general, you should call 911 if you are physically or emotionally unable to drive yourself to the hospital, can’t move without further hurting yourself or are otherwise experiencing a condition that could be life-threatening and needs to be addressed by a medical professional as quickly as possible.^[3]

For example, if you are bleeding severely and feel like you might pass out, it is far safer to call for an ambulance to come and pick you up than to risk fainting behind the wheel and getting into a car accident. An ambulance ride may also be beneficial since you can start receiving preliminary care before arriving at the hospital.

How Do You Choose Between the ER, Urgent Care or Calling 911?

The main factor that should determine whether you go to the ER or an urgent care center is the severity of your condition. If you think there’s a chance your life is in danger, you should opt for the ER, even if you’re not 100% sure whether your condition is really serious. Conversely, if you are experiencing a persistent or highly painful but nonlethal condition and don’t want to wait until you can get an appointment with your PCP or can’t be adequately treated via telemedicine, then you may simply need to go to urgent care.

Another relevant factor to consider is the time of day. Not all urgent care centers are open 24/7 like hospital emergency rooms are. As a result, if you experience a condition that might otherwise be treated at an urgent care center but it is the middle of the night and you don’t want to wait until morning to receive treatment, then you may need to go to the ER.

Keep in mind that, when you call 911, the ambulance will generally take you to the ED of the nearest hospital.^[7] As a result, there’s no need to call 911 if you are experiencing nonfatal symptoms or otherwise believe you could receive better or more cost-effective treatment at an urgent care center.