MultiCare Health System

Emergency Department vs Urgent Care

Should I go to the Emergency Department or the Urgent Care Center?

Visit an urgent care center. An urgent care center can be a good option at night and on weekends when your doctor may not be in the office, but it’s not necessarily a medical emergency. At MultiCare Urgent Care Centers, you can get x-rays, stitches, and care for other minor injuries that aren’t life threatening yet require medical attention on the same day.

Urgent care clinics are ideal for treating conditions such as:
  • Minor cuts
  • Upper respiratory infections
  • Fevers and Flu symptoms
  • Earaches
  • Sprains, strains and minor fractures
  • Foreign objects in the eye or nose

Click here for a list of MultiCare Urgent Care Centers.

Visit a hospital emergency department. An emergency department can handle a wide variety of serious problems, such as severe bleeding, head trauma, seizures, meningitis, breathing difficulties, dehydration, and bacterial infections.

Remember that in cases when you know the problem is minor, it’s best to go to an urgent care center because the more people who show up at the emergency department with non-emergencies, the longer everyone has to wait for care. When you can’t determine whether it's an emergency or not, call your child’s doctor.

Click here for a list of Emergency Departments.

Should I Drive to the Emergency Department or Call 911?

You should call 911 to get an ambulance if:
  • The injured person needs to be moved by medical personnel to prevent further injury
  • The condition is life-threatening
  • The distance or traffic would cause a significant delay in getting to the hospital