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Primary Care, Urgent Care and ER Services
Posted: April 1, 2009
Primary care physicians’ offices, urgent care centers and hospital emergency rooms offer a range of services to meet patients’ different healthcare needs.
Primary care medical clinics
Primary care clinics are where you should get most of your care. They are the best place to get care for problems that are not life-threatening such as routine care and care for chronic health problems, as well as urgent needs during the day.
Common conditions appropriate for a primary care medical clinic:
- Well child check-ups
- Immunizations
- Physicals
- Health maintenance
- Pap smears
- Scheduled lab testing
- Minor ailments and other urgent needs that are not life-threatening
Urgent care
Urgent care clinics are for problems that are not life-threatening but should be taken care of the same day and you are unable to receive care at your primary care clinic.
Common conditions treated in urgent care:
- Cuts requiring stitches
- Broken toes or fingers
- Minor burns
- Minor animal bites
- Foreign objects in the eye, ear or nose
- Sore throats, earaches and other minor ailments for children and adults
- Insect bites
- Simple rashes
- Skin infections
- Sprains and strains
Emergency room/911
Hospital emergency rooms are for serious, often times life-threatening medical problems.
Common conditions appropriate for going to the emergency room or calling 911:
- Chest pain
- Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
- Serious cuts or burns
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Active labor
- Allergic reaction
We Have Answers
Do you have medical questions or need help finding a doctor? The experts at Columbia St.Mary’s can help. Click here.
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