Do You Need An Emergency Department or An Urgent Care?
Ashley
Bergeron, RN ,and D. DeTemple, MD, RN at Banner Baywood Medical Center offer
this useful advice.
Question:
What are some key points to consider when deciding whether to use the Emergency
Department or an area Urgent Care facility?
Answer: When deciding whether
to visit the Emergency department or an Urgent Care facility, you should first
call your family doctor for advice on your present symptoms or
condition. If you don't have a family doctor, then try to evaluate your
symptoms and decide which facility would be best for your complaint.
Urgent Care facilities are equipped to handle minor trauma such as sprained
ankles, minor lacerations, sore throat, runny nose, cough and
congestion. Most urgent cares have X-ray capability, but not
all. Urgent Cares are not able to care for most critical situations.
Emergency departments are set up to care for critical patients. Some of
these patient situations may include but are not limited to, chest pain,
abdominal pain, severe shortness of breath and respiratory problems, prolonged
headaches, deformity of a limb, or a change in mental status.
It is important to remember that regardless of your complaint or medical need,
you can always go to the Emergency department to be seen and evaluated by an
emergency physician. However, please keep in mind that the time it will
take to be seen in the Emergency department is based on the severity of your
condition, not the time you arrive.
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Banner Health has
three Urgent Cares in the west Valley near Phoenix. They are:
Del E. Webb Medical Center Urgent Care
15468 N. Civic Center
Dr.
Surprise AZ
623-584-2917
Same Day Care
9165 W. Thunderbird
Peoria, AZ 85381
623-523-6555
Same Day Care
14416 W. Meeker Dr.
Sun City West, AZ 85375
623-583-5100
If you don't have a family doctor, and you need assistance deciding whether to
go to the Emergency department, or an Urgent Care facility, Banner Health has
set up a nurse contact line for your convenience, just call (602) 230-CARE.
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