Emergency Room vs. Urgent Care Clinic

When your child is suddenly feeling under the weather or has an accident while playing outside and your primary pediatrician isn’t available, the first thing that may come to your mind is “emergency room.” While we do agree that a visit to the emergency room may be necessary in certain situations, going to the ER isn’t always the best solution for your child.

What’s the difference between the Emergency Room and Urgent Care?

The emergency room at a hospital and an urgent care clinic are two different facilities that may be able to assist your child when they’re feeling sick and you can’t get in touch with your primary pediatrician. However, there are some key differences between the ER and an urgent care clinic.

Emergency Room

The emergency room at a hospital is a department dedicated to treating patients who come in with severe symptoms, ranging from flu-like symptoms to large wounds. Emergency rooms treat men and women of all ages. Specially trained pediatric providers are NOT available at most ERs. Then, there are the costs associated with treatment obtained at a hospital. Emergency room care is notoriously expensive, so it's not a choice to take lightly – especially when your child's health issue can also be treated elsewhere, such as at an urgent care clinic.

Pediatric Urgent Care Clinic

A pediatric urgent care clinic is a facility dedicated to treating boys and girls from their infancy through the time they turn 18 years old. At Care+ Pediatrics Urgent Care, we have a board-certified pediatrician and full staff of pediatric providers who are specially trained to treat your child as a whole – not as just another patient. Our urgent care clinic is kept clean and built for kids. Urgent care clinics are also more affordable than going to the emergency room.

When Should I Come to Care+ Pediatrics Urgent Care Clinic?

If your child tells you they aren’t feeling well and your primary pediatrician’s office is closed, you may not have to go to the emergency room. Instead, consider coming to our pediatric urgent care clinic. Our team of highly qualified pediatric providers can assist you in the following scenarios.