Emergency Room or Urgent Care?

     Whenever you or someone you love has sudden symptoms of an illness or injury, your first thought is getting to a medical facility.  But how do you decide which medical facility you should go to?  There are two different places you can go when symptoms suddenly appear- the emergency room or an urgent care.  How do you decide which you should go to?

     If it’s a life threatening injury or illness, do not stop (except where required by law), do not pass “Go,” just go straight to the emergency room (which is sometimes best accomplished by calling 911).  There’s one conveniently located at Meritus Medical Center - 11116 Medical Campus Road, Hagerstown, MD.  Open 24/7, this is definitely the right choice for any sudden, serious injury or illness.

     But what about non-life threatening illnesses like a sprained ankle, minor fracture, ear ache, sore throat, or fever? What if you have a minor injury or illness but no primary care physician? An urgent care center may be a great choice for you.  Staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, urgent care centers are a great alternative when most other doctor’s offices have already closed.  Plus, an urgent care center may be closer to your home – saving time and gas!

Consider going to Meritus Urgent Care at Sylvania Centre the next time you need medical care and can’t get into your doctor’s office.

By Kayla Murphy