Should I go to urgent care or the hospital?

The hospital emergency department (ED) is critical when you need immediate treatment for a life-threatening situation. But what about those other cases when your ailment or injury isn't dire, but still requires prompt attention? For example, do you have an ankle sprain or a suspicious rash? That's where urgent care comes in.

"Urgent care's scope of service is for minor, moderate illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening," says Michael Kaplan, MD, a family doctor with GoHealth Urgent Care in Montgomery, Texas. "The value we bring to the healthcare industry is fast, efficient, professional clinical care."

Patients can go to one of nearly 11,000 urgent care facilities in the United States when they don't have access to their general practitioner, when they're visiting from out of town, or when it's simply more convenient. You don't usually need an appointment, and compared to an ED, urgent care can be significantly cheaper and much quicker. Facilities provide simple lab tests and can refer patients to emergency care or another provider if more extensive testing is necessary.

What types of issues are treated at urgent care? From burns to broken bones, here's what you should know.

Whether you've slashed your thumb cutting through a bagel or sliced your foot on broken glass, urgent care can treat most wounds requiring more than a bandage and antibiotic ointment. "The majority of folks who walk into our clinic that need stitches—we're going to repair them," says Dr. Kaplan.

Wide gashes, wounds with jagged edges, or cuts that rip through the skin entirely are good candidates for urgent care. Lacerations that are red, swollen, and painful to the touch (which are signs of infection) can also be examined there. More severe wounds will likely need emergency care. These include:

• Cuts that bleed heavily
• Very deep gashes that reveal muscle, fat, or bone
• Lacerations on sensitive areas, such as the face, neck, or genitalia

Surgical repair requiring sedation is also beyond what an urgent care facility can typically handle, Kaplan adds.

Fevers are more dangerous for some age groups than others. If your child is 3 months old or younger and running a rectal temperature of at least 100.4°F, phone your pediatrician or head to the ED. Fevers in newborns can indicate serious health issues and should be treated as quickly as possible.

High temperatures in adults that are accompanied by a headache and stiff neck or a rash need emergency treatment, too. Still, many fevers and fever-triggering illnesses—including sinus infections, upper respiratory tract infections, and the flu—can be addressed at urgent care. Healthcare providers (HCPs) at these centers can also administer flu shots.

Certain flu symptoms, however, need emergency care. Go directly to the ED if you:

• Have breathing problems
• Are suddenly dizzy or confused
• Vomit persistently
• Feel pain in your abdomen or chest
• Have flu symptoms that get better, but come back with a bad cough and high fever

In certain situations—like illnesses in older adults or those with a compromised immune system—an urgent care doctor may examine the patient and refer them to emergency care. "We base it on clinical guidelines, your experience as a physician, and the presentation of the patient," says Kaplan. "Maybe they have bad pneumonia, they're 80 years old, they're dehydrated and they just look too weak to be treated at home. Those folks are transferred to the emergency department."

When it comes to treating burns, factors including location, depth, and the percentage of the body covered help determine care, says Kaplan. Mild or moderate burns, also known as first- or second-degree burns, are typically reddish, swollen, and may involve blisters. These can be treated at urgent care.

"Most of the burns we see are from things like spilled coffee or people touching their car's exhaust pipe," he adds. Severe sunburns are also good contenders for an urgent care visit.

More serious burns—and those involving hands, feet, face, or genitalia—aren’t typically treated at urgent care, Kaplan says. "Those kinds of areas require a little more management." People with deep or severe burns, or burns spanning a significant area of their body (such as the size of your palm or larger) should dial 911 or head directly to the ED.

Did you twist your ankle carrying groceries to the car? Urgent care can (usually) handle that. "Most strains or sprains could be seen and treated in an urgent care setting," says Kaplan. Depending on the location of the injury and the cause, the urgent care physician may recommend an X-ray in addition to a physical exam. After that, HCPs may stabilize the injury with a splint or bandage and prescribe rest, ice, compression, elevation—and ibuprofen.

Urgent care can also handle many bone breaks, including wrist, ankle, finger, and toe fractures. Many factures that don't include multiple fragments or parts piercing through the skin can be treated, Kaplan suggests. After it's splinted, you would typically be referred to an orthopedic specialist for follow-up care.

It's the more serious fractures that need ED treatment. These include breaks where:

• Pain is triggered by very little movement or light pressure
• The bone is broken in multiple pieces
• Bone pierces your skin
• Your joint or limb seems deformed or oddly angled
• At the end of a broken arm or leg, a finger or toe is numb or blue at the very tip

Hip fractures and other leg breaks also need emergency room care. "Femur fractures typically require higher level of care because there can be a lot of bleeding," says Kaplan.

Most bouts of diarrhea and stomach bugs go away on their own. But if you're becoming best friends with your bathroom, you might consider a trip to urgent care.

"Most of the cases we treat for vomiting or diarrhea are acute viral illnesses related to rotavirus or other types of viral illnesses," says Kaplan. Urgent care doctors can examine you, provide necessary medications, and send you home to rest up and hydrate.

If your exam reveals signs of a more serious illness, like appendicitis or diverticulitis, you'll likely be sent to the ED for an additional evaluation. Blood in your vomit or stool is another red flag that something more is wrong, and urgent care HCPs can help evaluate that, as well. If vomiting or diarrhea won't stop, or you're passing a large amount of blood, go to the emergency department immediately.

Some of the most common ailments treated at urgent care are skin-related, especially rashes. "We see contact dermatitis, rashes from shingles, childhood rashes from different viruses, and rashes from plants, chemicals, and metals," says Kaplan.

Summertime is peak season for poison ivy and poison oak, along with a range of itchy, bumpy bug bites. In many parts of the country, urgent care HCPs are experts at diagnosing Lyme disease, as well.

If rashes come with signs of severe illness, like a high fever with a headache or stiff neck, go to the emergency department. Otherwise, most rashes don't require an ED trip, and many respond to basic treatment (such as oral or topical medications) or resolve on their own, says Kaplan. Some may need a visit to a dermatologist. As with any urgent care-treated illness or injury, he recommends following up with a primary care doctor.

In addition to severe burns, deep cuts, and diarrhea that just won't quit, some other events and symptoms also require a trip to the ED. Skip the urgent care center and get immediate emergency attention for:

• Chest pain, particularly if it's accompanied by arm or jaw pain, and especially in a patient with heart disease risk factors
• Severe abdominal pain or sudden, severe pain anywhere else on your body
• Sudden loss of the ability to move, talk, or see
• Sudden drooping on half of your face or body
• Serious allergic reactions
• Trouble or stopping of breathing
• Sudden confusion or loss of consciousness
• Sudden, severe, or unusual headaches
• Head injuries, especially those where you lose consciousness
• Spine or neck injuries, especially if you lose feeling or movement
• Seizures
• Drug overdose
• Poisoning or smoke inhalation

Call 911 immediately if you experience any of these signs. They could signal a serious problem, like heart attack, stroke, or cardiac arrest.

Sometimes, a trip to the ED is necessary, and in that case, don't hesitate to head there. Other times, an urgent care facility can get you the help you need—quickly and often with low cost.