Wellness Wednesday: Knowing When to Go to the ER or Urgent Care

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- Deciding whether to visit an emergency room, urgent care clinic or primary care doctor often depends on the severity and location of a patient's symptoms, according to medical professionals at St. Charles Health.

Severe symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden weakness, numbness or tingling require immediate emergency care, while minor injuries are better suited for urgent care.

Emergency departments are designed to treat critical conditions located near the center of the body or severe neurological warning signs. For minor cuts and less serious injuries, urgent care clinics provide appropriate treatment, whereas medical issues that have persisted over time without worsening are best evaluated by a primary care physician.

Dr. Kenneth Hahn, an emergency medicine specialist at St. Charles Health, noted that patients sometimes seek help at urgent care facilities for life-threatening medical events. “We've had people show up with strokes and heart attacks to urgent care and part of their body is not working, or they're having this crushing chest pain and can't breathe and those aren't best managed in urgent care setting,” Hahn said.

When patients arrive at an emergency department, care is delivered based on medical urgency rather than arrival time. Emergency rooms use a process called triage to prioritize patients who require immediate attention over those with less critical needs. “We have to prioritize the people who are sicker with the volume that we get,” Hahn said. “They're probably a lot sicker and that patient really needs emergent care.”

Medical providers also emphasize that preventative steps can reduce the need for emergency treatment. Hahn highlighted daily safety and wellness habits that help protect individuals from severe medical issues. “Prevention can help keep people out of the ER, including staying up to date on vaccines, wearing helmets and keeping up with routine care,” Hahn said.