Choosing the Right Care
Choosing the right service for the problem you have.
Last revised
Key takeaways
- 911 and the emergency room: life-threatening emergencies
- Urgent care: urgent but not life-threatening problems, usually without an appointment
- Most useful single change: Ask a pharmacist about minor illness; no appointment needed.
- Commonest mistake: Going to the emergency room for problems urgent care or your doctor can handle.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Why it matters
Using the right service gets you seen faster, often costs less, and keeps emergency capacity for emergencies.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| 911 and the emergency room | life-threatening emergencies |
| Urgent care | urgent but not life-threatening problems, usually without an appointment |
| Nurse lines and telehealth | advice when you are unsure; many insurers and health systems offer them 24 hours |
| Primary care provider | new non-urgent symptoms, long-term conditions, preventive care |
| Poison Control | 1-800-222-1222, free and 24 hours |
What helps
- Ask a pharmacist about minor illness; no appointment needed
- Call your doctor's after-hours line or a nurse line when you are unsure
- Establish care with a primary care provider before you need one
- Check which urgent care centers your insurance covers before you need one
What to avoid
- Going to the emergency room for problems urgent care or your doctor can handle
- Delaying 911 when symptoms are life-threatening
- Avoiding the emergency room over cost when symptoms are serious; ERs must evaluate you regardless of ability to pay
In depth
The US health system offers many entry points: your primary care provider, telehealth, nurse lines, retail clinics in pharmacies, urgent care centers, emergency rooms and 911. Each is designed for a different level of need. Choosing well gets you the right expertise at the right speed, avoids long waits and large bills, and helps keep emergency services available for people whose lives are at risk.
The key question is how serious and how time-sensitive the problem is. Emergencies, where delay could cost a life, a limb or vision, belong in the emergency room, and often call for 911 so that care begins on the way. Urgent problems need same-day attention but are not life-threatening, such as minor fractures, cuts needing stitches or a urinary infection. Many other concerns can wait for an appointment with your own doctor, who knows your history.
Cost and coverage are part of the decision in the US, but they should never stop you seeking emergency care. Under federal law, emergency rooms must assess and stabilize anyone with an emergency condition regardless of insurance or ability to pay. The No Surprises Act also protects most people from surprise out-of-network bills for emergency care. For non-urgent problems, knowing your plan in advance helps you avoid unnecessary expense.
Signs and symptoms
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness lasting more than a few minutes
- Signs of stroke: face drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulty
- Severe difficulty breathing or choking
- Heavy bleeding that does not stop with pressure
- Sudden confusion, unresponsiveness or a seizure that does not stop
- Thoughts of suicide or harming yourself or others
Causes and risk factors
- Not having an established primary care provider
- Symptoms that start outside office hours
- Uncertainty about how serious a symptom is
- Not knowing which services your insurance covers
- Long waits for routine appointments
- Being away from home or traveling
How it is checked
At urgent care and in the emergency room, a process called triage decides who is seen first, based on how serious each person's condition is rather than arrival time. A nurse checks your symptoms and vital signs. This is why you may wait longer if your problem is less serious, and why people arriving after you may be seen sooner.
Nurse lines and telehealth services use structured questions to judge urgency and direct you to the right place. If you are unsure, these services are a sensible first step. Be ready to describe when symptoms began, how they have changed, your medicines and allergies, and any long-term conditions.
Related topics
- The Evidence on Using a Nurse Line or Urgent Care, Without the Hype (Using Health Services)
- Surprise Medical Bills: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Health Insurance and Costs)
- Sexual Health Services: What Published Guidance Supports (Sexual Health)
- Finding Substance Use Treatment: What Published Guidance Supports (Substance Use and Recovery)
Where to go next
- The Short Guide to Choosing the Right Care
- Choosing the Right Care: What Published Guidance Supports
- Preventive Care: The Complete Guide
- The Evidence on Health Literacy, Without the Hype
- The Evidence on Occupational Health, Without the Hype
When to get help
Call 911 for chest pain or tightness lasting more than a few minutes, sudden weakness or numbness on one side, facial drooping, difficulty speaking, severe breathlessness, heavy bleeding, seizures that do not stop, unconsciousness, or a rash that does not fade under pressure. Use the FAST test for stroke. For a possible poisoning in someone who is awake and breathing, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Where this comes from
- MedlinePlus — When to use the emergency room - adult
- CMS — Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA)
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.