Skip The ER And Opt for Walk-In Visits With A PCP
Sometimes people have to go to the emergency room (ER) for unexpected issues. Maybe a condition is severe enough to skip going to the doctor’s office for better critical care. Likewise, problems that arise overnight or on weekends means patients might not be able to schedule or drop into a primary care provider’s (PCP) office. For these individuals, the ER is a better choice and can provide effective care even though that service comes with the risk of long wait times and potentially eye-popping price tags. However, for non-critical urgent care support, utilizing a PCP’s walk-in service can be a better solution.
How ERs Work
While emergency rooms can provide comprehensive service and address patients requiring immediate care, many people fail to realize how the ER operates and why these facilities are not ideal for non-emergency care. Specifically, the department works on a triage model rather than a first come, first served basis. Priority is given to the most urgent cases. For example, a person having a heart attack, stroke or even in active labor will jump ahead of an individual who walks in with a sprained wrist. This reality means that people with non-urgent conditions will wait for extended periods to be seen because patients with more pressing issues need to be accommodated first. Along with being frustrating, non-urgent cases in the ER also delay care and create backlogs.
No customization
Because the healthcare providers working in ER settings may be rotating and unfamiliar with an individual’s medical history, care is also slowed down. Physicians and nurses must get up to speed on a patient’s medical history and sometimes perform baseline diagnostic tests to rule out potential factors before either recommending an individual be admitted or prescribing a treatment. However, if a person went to a PCP’s office, that medical history would already be on file. Some preliminary diagnostics might still be required. Yet, care can be provided more efficiently because the physician would be able to draw accurate conclusions based on case history and current symptoms more effectively.
Cost effective
While ER departments do provide quality care, that support comes at a premium. A visit to the local hospital emergency room can easily create costly medical bills because services are offered at a higher expense. Depending on an individual’s insurance plan, even if coverage is available, a trip to the ER can put people into debt. By contrast, PCP visits under insurance will usually only require a modest on-site copay.
When to go to the ER
A person experiencing more severe, life-threatening conditions should always go to the ER first. Because these departments are in the hospital, cases can quickly be escalated to receive the best care possible to resolve the problem. Similarly, broken bones or persistent issues that worsen overnight or outside of office hours for a PCP or urgent-care facility would also be reasons to visit an ER. When the medical problem can’t wait or the risk of death or severe damage from delayed care are present, going to the emergency room is prudent.
When to see a PCP
Many PCPs offer walk-in options to provide more accommodating care to patients with complex schedules or responsibilities that may prevent scheduling an appointment in advance. More specifically, for non-urgent needs such as minor illness, pain, fever without rash, reproductive health needs, or even to have prescriptions written, a walk-in office is a better choice.
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