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Is it urgent ... or an emergency?
Helping you know when to visit the ER, urgent care or walk-in clinic
Many of us can relate to having a sprain, an earache or a minor cut that might need stitches. And they don’t always happen during normal business hours.
Even if it’s a weekend or evening, calling your doctor is a good first step. They may offer after-hours care. If not, you have other choices for getting care — and the right one can save you both time and money.
Emergency Room: At the ER, the more severe the condition, the sooner the patient will see a doctor.
Urgent Care: Urgent care typically works on a first-come, first-served basis.
Emergency Room:
If you experience something unexpected…
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Severe bleeding
Go to the ER, where there’s a wider range of specialists and treatment options.
If you experience non-life-threatening symptoms like…
- Allergies
- Headache
- Rash
- Fever
Urgent care it is.
Keep in mind, many minor conditions can also be treated at a retail clinic in your local pharmacy. Knowing where to go can save you time and money.
But when in doubt…
Intense and immediate symptoms or injury = ER.
Gradually increasing symptoms = Urgent care center.
Your options for after-hours care
Symptoms and severity matter. Knowing where to go depends on the type of injury or symptoms you have, and how serious they are. If you feel like your life is at risk, call 911. Never drive yourself if you have a serious head injury or are showing signs of a stroke or heart attack.
When it’s not an emergency, urgent care centers or walk-in clinics are convenient and may cost less. You can get care for things like colds, minor cuts, and sprains or strains. They are usually cheaper than an ER visit. And your wait time to get care may be shorter.
|
|
Walk-in clinic |
Urgent care center |
Emergency room |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Care level |
For mild to moderate illness. Care is often with a nurse practitioner. |
For moderate to serious illness or injury that isn’t life-threatening. Care is often with a doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. |
For life-threatening or severe injuries. Care is with a team of health care professionals available 24/7. |
|
Symptoms |
|
|
|
|
Services |
Prescriptions if needed. You can have them filled onsite if the clinic is in a retail pharmacy. |
Prescriptions if needed. X-rays and lab. |
Prescriptions if needed. Advanced life-saving measures, imaging, X-rays and lab. |
Care level |
|
Walk-in clinic |
For mild to moderate illness. Care is often with a nurse practitioner. |
Urgent care center |
For moderate to serious illness or injury that isn’t life-threatening. Care is often with a doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. |
Emergency room |
For life-threatening or severe injuries. Care is with a team of health care professionals available 24/7. |
Symptoms |
|
Walk-in clinic |
|
Urgent care center |
|
Emergency room |
|
Services |
|
Walk-in clinic |
Prescriptions if needed. You can have them filled onsite if the clinic is in a retail pharmacy. |
Urgent care center |
Prescriptions if needed. X-rays and lab. |
Emergency room |
Prescriptions if needed. Advanced life-saving measures, imaging, X-rays and lab. |
We’re here for you
If you’re an Aetna® member and still aren’t sure where to go, you can ask us. Call our 24-hour nurse line at 1-800-556-1555 ${tty}. We’re standing by and ready to help.
Legal notices
Aetna is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Aetna group of companies, including Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliates (Aetna).
Health benefits and health insurance plans contain exclusions and limitations.
Aetna and MinuteClinic, LLC (which either operates or provides certain management support services to MinuteClinic-branded walk-in clinics) are part of the CVS Health family of companies.
Aetna Medicare is a PDP, HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our SNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area.