{"id":10060,"date":"2025-08-06T16:40:27","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T21:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=10060"},"modified":"2026-05-26T10:58:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:58:27","slug":"where-should-i-go-for-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/where-should-i-go-for-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Emergency Room or Urgent Care: Where Should You Go?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you need medical care quickly, you may wonder whether to choose urgent care or the emergency room (ER).<\/p>\n

Knowing the difference between urgent care vs. emergency room services can help you get the right level of care without unnecessary cost or wait time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you believe you have a life-threatening injury or illness, please call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room<\/a>,\u201d\u00a0said Kate Barth, chief nursing officer and vice president of On Demand Services at OSF HealthCare.<\/p>\n

For non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries, going straight to the\u00a0emergency room or the emergency department\u00a0(ED) may not be the best option.<\/p>\n

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Need to talk to a provider?<\/p>\n

Find care now<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Urgent care clinic options<\/a>, such as OSF PromptCare<\/a>, OSF Orthopedics Walk-In Clinic<\/a> and\u00a0OSF OnCall Urgent Care<\/a>, which has walk-in clinics and virtual visits, may be a better choice.<\/p>\n

Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room: How to Decide<\/h2>\n

When deciding between urgent care or ER, three key factors help guide your choice:<\/p>\n

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  1. Severity of your condition<\/strong>
    \nThe ED is for life-threatening, severe or complex symptoms. Urgent care treats minor illnesses or injuries.\u201cIf a medical problem poses a real risk to life or loss of limb, it should be treated as an emergency and evaluated in the emergency room,\u201d Kate said.<\/li>\n
  2. Cost<\/strong>
    \nED visits typically cost significantly more than urgent care visits. That means you don\u2019t want to go to the emergency room for something you can easily get taken care of with urgent care.<\/li>\n
  3. Wait time<\/strong>
    \nEDs treat the sickest patients first, so you may wait longer at an ED if you have a minor condition that can be treated with urgent care options.\u201cEmergency departments must prioritize the most severe cases,\u201d Kate said. \u201cUrgent care clinics help ensure patients get the exact care they need without unnecessary delays.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    When to Go to the Emergency Room<\/h2>\n

    An ED is for treating serious and life-threatening conditions. EDs are open 24\/7 and equipped to provide advanced care, imaging and emergency procedures.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe emergency department should be reserved for the most severe situations,\u201d Kate said. \u201cThat allows care teams to focus their resources on patients who need immediate, advanced medical attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Go to the emergency room immediately if you experience:<\/p>\n