Should you visit the ER or urgent care? Raleigh doctor explains the differences
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- Emergency rooms differ from urgent care in staffing and facility capabilities.
- Only take an ambulance to the ER if you need it, not just for convenience.
- Some health issues may be handled at home with pain and allergy medication.
When you’re sick, one of your priorities is getting proper medical care as quickly as possible.
But sometimes, it’s not easy to tell where you should go to receive attention.
Other times, said Dr. Ryan Lamb, the medical director and chair of the emergency department at UNC Rex Hospital and Rex Holly Springs, people apologize for visiting the emergency room, or may worry that the ER is too busy for them.
“I want people to come and get seen if they want to get checked,” Lamb said.
Here’s a guide to medical care options and when to use them.
What’s the difference between the ER and urgent care?
The main differences between urgent care facilities and emergency rooms lie in the medical staff and capabilities of the facilities.
- At urgent care clinics, patients are usually seen by a family practice provider, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, Lamb said. At the ER, board-certified professionals with training in emergency medicine oversee staff including nurse practitioners and physician assistant.
- Some urgent care facilities can handle X-rays and some lab work, such as swabbing to test for COVID-19. ERs can do more and better labs, Lamb said.
When should you go to urgent care?
Visiting an urgent care facility can be helpful if a patient already has a good idea of what their health issue is.
For example, if you’ve had an ear infection in the past, and you’re experiencing similar symptoms, you might just want confirmation on your diagnosis.
“I think being able to go and have them look at your ear and confirm that and treat you is a reasonable thing,” Lamb said. “And most primary physicians cannot break open their schedule to fit in people with acute changes.”
If you’re a healthy person but are experiencing mild symptoms and just want to get checked, that’s another situation that could be handled at an urgent care clinic.
Another example: If you’ve broken a finger, and it’s an isolated issue (i.e., you didn’t fall in, say, a motorcycle crash), you could visit an orthopedic urgent care facility that can do X-rays and get treatment there.
When should you go to the ER?
“If you really need care, if you are sick, you need to come to the emergency room,” Lamb said.
People who are 70 years or older, or who have complex medical problems or take many medications and don’t feel well, should go to the ER, not urgent care — unless the health concern is clear.
There are also some symptoms that warrant a trip to the ER:
- Chest or abdominal pain
- Confusion, indicating something is wrong with your brain
Should you do a virtual urgent care visit?
If virtual urgent care is staffed well, and a patient doesn’t need something looked at closely (like inside an ear or mouth), then it could be a good option, Lamb said.
A good virtual assessment could treat a patient directly, or recommend an appointment with a primary care physician or a visit to the ER.
“That is what I think most people want,” Lamb said. “It’s like concierge medicine in a sense.”
When should you call 911 or take yourself to the ER?
If you can’t get to the hospital without an ambulance, or you think you need an ambulance, then use one, Lamb said.
But if you’re just using an ambulance out of convenience, it’s better to get to the ER another way.
If someone has fallen and you’re unable to pick them up, or it takes multiple people to get someone up, it might be better to call for help.
Other reasons to call for an ambulance include a person experiencing severe symptoms or a person who is confused.
“You have to get from your car into triage, and so if you can’t imagine that concept happening, then you probably need to come in via an ambulance,” Lamb said.
Which medications should you keep at home?
Medications such as Motrin (ibuprofen), Advil and Aleve are helpful for musculoskeletal pain, headaches, period cramps and post-operative pain.
People who can’t take Motrin or Advil may take Tylenol, which can also be taken by elderly people or those with kidney problems.
However, all of these medications have risk factors and should only be taken for a few days. If symptoms last longer than that or worsen, it’s a good idea to seek medical care, Lamb said.
Allergy medication, such as Benadryl and a non-sedating allergy medication like Zyrtec or Claritin, is also good to have on hand.
Supplies for addressing cuts and wounds, such as bandages and a topical antibiotic or Aquaphor, are also helpful.
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Should you visit the ER or urgent care? Raleigh doctor explains the differences."
