When you are sick or injured, it can be hard to know where to go. Should you call your primary care doctor, schedule telehealth, go to urgent care, or head to the emergency room?
This guide gives general information only. It does not diagnose symptoms or tell you what level of care you personally need. When in doubt, call a healthcare professional, nurse line, or emergency services.
Call 911 or seek emergency care now for possible emergencies
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if symptoms may be serious, life-threatening, or rapidly worsening.
- Chest pain or pressure
- Trouble breathing
- Stroke symptoms, such as facial drooping, arm weakness, sudden confusion, or trouble speaking
- Severe allergic reaction
- Severe bleeding
- Loss of consciousness
- Serious head injury
- Severe burns
- Sudden severe pain
- Seizure, especially if new or prolonged
- Suicidal thoughts or risk of self-harm
- Symptoms that feel frightening, severe, or unlike anything you have had before
Primary care
Primary care is often a good starting point for ongoing, non-emergency health concerns such as preventive care, medication refills, chronic condition follow-up, mild or ongoing symptoms, reviewing test results, referrals, and annual checkups.
Telehealth
Telehealth may be useful for certain non-emergency concerns, follow-ups, medication questions, some skin concerns that can be shown on video, mental health visits, or discussing whether in-person care is needed.
Telehealth has limits: the provider cannot perform a full physical exam, some symptoms require in-person evaluation, and testing or imaging may still require a visit.
Urgent care
Urgent care is often used for problems that need prompt attention but may not be emergencies, such as minor cuts that may need stitches, sprains, mild to moderate illness, ear pain, sore throat, simple infections, minor burns, or X-rays at some locations.
Emergency room
Emergency rooms are designed for serious, complex, or potentially life-threatening problems. They are open 24/7 and can handle advanced testing and hospital-level care.
Questions to ask when unsure
- Is this symptom severe, sudden, or worsening?
- Could waiting be dangerous?
- Do I need imaging, lab tests, stitches, or IV medication?
- Is my primary care office open?
- Does my insurance have a nurse line?
- Would urgent care be able to handle this, or might they send me to the ER anyway?
The right care setting depends on urgency, symptoms, medical history, access, and cost. For possible emergencies, seek emergency care.