Should I Go to Primary Care, Urgent Care or the Emergency Room?

With more healthcare options than ever, it can be challenging to determine the best course of action when you or a loved one is sick or hurt. When should you make an appointment with your doctor? How 'urgent' is urgent care? Is it time to go to the emergency room?

Using the information below, assess the condition or symptoms you are facing to select the appropriate place for care.

Primary Care

Your primary care provider should be your first choice for care for acute and chronic illnesses because he or she is familiar with your medical history. It is important to establish a primary care physician for continuity of care and to have someone to call when medical issues arise. Primary care offers comprehensive and continuous care. Visit your primary care provider for:

High blood pressure
Diabetes
Arthritis and joint pain
Anxiety and depression
Fatigue
Unexplained weight loss or gain
Back pain
Acid reflux
Management of all chronic diseases
Difficulty sleeping
Constipation
Disease screenings (cholesterol, diabetes, etc.)
Physicals or yearly check-ups
Medication refills

Of course, your primary care provider can always help treat shorter-term non-threatening illnesses including:

Cold, cough, flu, sinus problems, fever
Upper respiratory symptoms
Ear infections
Urinary symptoms

If you are experiencing increasing symptoms of a chronic issue that is not an emergency, you can also reach out to your medical specialist, such as your cardiologist, gastroenterologist or OB/GYN.

Emergency Room

A visit to the emergency room is warranted only for potentially life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Wait times for non-life-threatening conditions could exceed an hour or more in the emergency room. Go to your nearest emergency room for these conditions:

Chest pain
Shortness of breath or a severe asthma attack
Heart palpitations
Loss of consciousness or fainting
Uncontrollable bleeding
Broken bone (with deformity or open wound)
Seizures
Severe abdominal pain
Severe headache
Weakness, slurred speech or confusion
Major head injuries
Severe burns
Severe pain
Suicidal or homicidal thoughts
Loss of eyesight

Urgent Care

Outside of regular office hours or extended hours, the same acute, non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries that you may normally go to your primary care provider for can also be treated at an urgent care facility. An urgent care facility can give you immediate medical attention for common illnesses usually without an appointment or long wait.

If you are unable to see your primary care physician or need immediate attention, you can visit an urgent care for:

Cold, cough, flu, sinus problems, fever
Sore throat and strep throat
Flu test
COVID test
Ear pain or infection
Eye irritation or pink eye
Urinary tract infection
Sutures for lacerations and injuries requiring casting
Abscess
Insect and animal bites
Rashes and minor burns
Sprains, strains and possible closed fractures (no open wound)
Minor head injury
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Mild abdominal pain
Mild asthma attack
Migraine or mild headache
Allergic reactions or allergies

Virtual Visit

Online virtual visits are a convenient way to quickly connect with a licensed healthcare provider. Virtual visits give you access to care and can be a good substitute for a brick-and-mortar urgent care when you are extremely contagious, in a hurry or unable to travel. You can access virtual visits two ways:

Ochsner Connected Anywhere offers urgent care on demand visits and behavioral health scheduled appointments.
Virtual Visits through MyOchsner are secure video appointments with an Ochsner provider.

Using your smartphone, tablet or computer, you can speak directly with a doctor who will assess your symptoms and give you a recommendation or if necessary, a prescription for certain conditions. Schedule a virtual visit for: