Should I Go to 紧急护理 or the Emergency Room?

作者：Kadeer Halimi， MD
专业：急诊医学

I hurt my arm and the swelling won’t go down. …这是 the middle of the night and my baby has a fever. 我的执着 咳嗽使我彻夜难眠. 我该去哪里?

When faced with sudden injury or illness, one typically weighs whether to seek treatment via urgent care or the emergency room. 当他们各自 fill a specific health care need, there’s enough overlap that deciding where to go to get the care you require is anything but simple.

So, what’s the difference between urgent care and emergency room care?

Think of urgent care as an extension of your primary care provider.

These walk-in clinics provide the acute medical care outside of normal 办公时间. It’s a great option when you can’t get an appointment with your regular doctor, can’t wait to be treated, or just need the convenience of evening and weekend hours. 紧急护理对 the types of injuries and illnesses like earaches, sprains or lingering cold symptoms – things that you’d typically see your doctor 为. When used 为 appropriate ailments, an urgent care visit is generally less expensive than emergency room care.

Go to the emergency room 为 anything else.

As the name implies, the ER is 为 emergencies. 全天24小时开放 equipped to treat everything from minor illnesses to major injuries, you 会得到你需要的照顾吗. Because emergency rooms are set up to see patients based on severity of injury or illness rather than on a first-come, first-served basis, they’re most effectively used to treat life-threatening conditions like heart attack, stroke, and major injuries – conditions that may require advanced diagnostics like ultrasounds, CT scans or MRIs; specialist intervention; operating rooms; or overnight stays. 此外, you cannot be denied care in an emergency room as they’re legally required to treat anyone who comes through its doors.

这是紧急情况吗?

While there’s no hard and fast rule of thumb, there are some considerations that can help guide your decision to seek emergency care. 在真正的紧急情况下 situation, immediate intervention is required to prevent death or disability 为 you, your loved one or your unborn baby.

Call 911 if you or your loved one experiences any of the following symptoms 或情况:

• Head injury that causes loss of consciousness and/or confusion
• 颈部或脊柱受伤
• 严重的胸痛或压力
• 中风的征兆, which include sudden facial drooping, weakness or slurred speech
• Seizure that lasts more than three minutes
• 窒息或呼吸停止
• 严重的烧伤
• 电击

否则，去急诊室：

• Complications of a known condition
• 持续高热
• Broken bones, deep wounds and serious burns
• 剧烈的疼痛
• 大量出血
• 呼吸困难
• Passing out, fainting and seizures
• Uncontrolled vomiting and diarrhea that lasts more than four hours
• Allergic reactions that cause hives, trouble breathing, or swelling
• Overdose, poisoning, or exposure to smoke or fumes
• 咳嗽或吐血
• Mental health crises, specifically suicidal thoughts or actions

Or if you’re experiencing symptoms of a life-threatening condition, such as:

• 手臂或下颚疼痛
• 不寻常的突然，剧烈的头痛
• 不能说话、看不见或走路的
• High fever with headache and stiff neck

Remember that calling 911 may be the best option 为 life-threatening emergencies, as paramedics can begin treatment in the field and can alert the emergency 您到达的房间. This is true when you have symptoms of a life-threatening emergency and are alone or when an emergency room is not nearby.

Ultimately, you know your body best.

Seek emergency care when you feel you need it. 对于婴儿，幼儿， and the elderly, always err on the side of caution. 在真正的紧急情况下 time is of the essence; it’s better to have the care and resources needed now than live with regret later.

发布于2018年9月

About Kadeer Halimi, MD
Dr. Kadeer Halimi is a board-certified emergency medicine specialist at Washington Hospital Healthcare System. 他的职责是为病人看病 从受伤到生病. His best advice 为 people who are debating whether or not to go to the Emergency Room? “你知道吗？ body better than anyone else, so listen to it! 如果你认为 may be wrong, it’s better to get help now than live with a lifetime 后悔的.”

Dr. Halimi earned his medical degree from Western University of Health 服务, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pomona, Cali为nia, and completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Scott and White Hospital at 德克萨斯州的一个&德克萨斯州坦普尔市的M. He is currently the Medical Director of the Washington Hospital Emergency Department, as well as Chair-Elect of the Washington Hospital Department of Medicine and Co-Chair of the Clinical Operations Re-Admissions Committee.