Urgent care centers differ from emergency rooms in many ways. While they provide many of the same services, they do not have the same pricing schedules or ability to treat all emergent needs. While an ER could treat any of the urgent care issues, it is not recommended because emergency rooms are often busier and more expensive. Also, it is important to note that urgent care centers may not be able to treat the illnesses listed for emergency rooms. With that being said, the top diagnosis at both urgent care centers and emergency rooms, nearly 50% of them are the same.
When you go to the urgent care clinic, you will be evaluated by caring, compassionate providers that are able to assess and treat your urgent care needs. Your urgent care provider will not be your primary care provider, but will have access to your medical record to help them with your medical needs. At ACHS, our goal is for you to be actively informed of the best practices when choosing your needs for urgent healthcare. This will help you receive optimal care for your medical concerns, and help decrease the financial stress that sometimes accompanies visits to a healthcare facility.
| Urgent Care | Emergency Room |
| Single complaint reason for visit | Chest pain |
| Simple laceration | Difficulty breathing |
| Suture removal | Fainting or loss of consciousness |
| Sprains and strains | Seizure |
| Ear pain/infection | Severe bleeding |
| Sinus pain/infection | Severe head, neck or back trauma |
| Urinary tract infection | Loss of limb or severe bone fracture |
| Cough, cold, sore throat | Moderate to severe burn |
| Animal bites or stings | |
| Rash or skin irritations | |
| Minor Burns | |
| Simple bone fracture | |
| Nausea, vomiting, stomach virus | |
| Headache |
Average Cost Difference for Emergency Room Visits vs. Urgent Care Visits with the same diagnosis; 2018
Here are some 2018 estimates from Medica, a health insurance company, of how the cost of treating specific illnesses in the ER compares to the cost of treating them in urgent care:
- Allergies: $733 in ER, $200 in urgent care
- Bronchitis: $1,074 in ER, $242 in urgent care
- Earache: $779 in ER, $229 in urgent care
- Pinkeye: $621 in ER, $184 in urgent care
- Strep Throat: $1,043 in ER, $231 in urgent care
- Urinary Tract Infection: $1,264 in ER, $247 in urgent care
ACHS Approximate Averages for the same level of service/diagnosis, 2018
99213* (UC Clinic) $114 vs 99283 ER Visit minimal charge; $755
99214** (UC Clinic) $160 vs 99284 ER Visit minimal charge; $1195
*99213- established patient, moderate level of service, such as an evaluation for a cold or cough with a prescription
**99214- established patient, more extensive level of service, such as an evaluation of a broken bone that requires an x-ray and fitting for ortho appliance
(note that the fees listed do not include costs for ancillary services such as labs and x-ray)
Rebecca McCann, ARNP
ACHS Urgent Care Provider
