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Urgent Care Centers: E.R. Alternative

Urgent Care Centers have stepped in to help patients with non-critical problems that don't require an E.R., but are too time-sensitive to wait for an appointment at a doctor's office.

According to AnythingResearch's Urgent Care market research report, over one thousand urgent care centers have opened over the past five years.

Urgent Care Centers aren't prepared to handle life-threatening conditions. The following chart shows types of problems that must be seen in an E.R. and those that can be handled in either an E.R. or Urgent Care Center:

Emergency Room OnlyUrgent Care Center or E.R.
  • Chest pain
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Severe bleeding
  • Head trauma
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Loss of vision
  • Blurry vision
  • Minor injuries
  • Minor burns
  • Sprains
  • Coughs
  • Colds and sore throats
  • Ear infections
  • Allergic Reactions (not life threatening)
  • Fever or flu
  • Rashes
  • Mild Asthma
  • Animal Bites
  • Broken Bones

Add an Urgent Care Center to our searchable list so it can be compared to nearby Emergency Rooms.

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