From ear pain to ankle sprains, minor medical conditions can crop up at any time. When they do, you can get fast, excellent treatment without an appointment at one of Mercyhealth's urgent care clinics.
When to choose urgent care
If you think you have a serious or life-threatening emergency, you should call 911 or visit the emergency room. But if your condition isn’t an emergency, visit one of our urgent care clinics. You can often get care more quickly and for a lower cost at urgent care than at the ER.
Here are some of the conditions we treat:
- Cut or puncture wound needing stitching
- Ear pain
- Headache or fever
- Minor allergic reaction
- Minor eye irritation
- Minor neck or back pain
- Minor or small burn
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation
- Sinus trouble, runny nose, sore/strep throat or cough
- Skin rash, itch or sunburn
- Sprain or pulled muscle
- Suture removal or wound check
Emergency room or urgent care?
Emergency rooms (ERs) and urgent care centers serve very different purposes. When you need medical care right away, it helps to know which one is the better choice. This true-false quiz can help you learn the difference between them.
True or false: The main difference between an urgent care center and an ER is size.
False. The biggest difference between an urgent care center and an ER is the type of cases they can handle. When people have a condition that is life-threatening or could cause disability, they should go to the ER. If the problem is not that serious, urgent care may be a better choice.
True or false: Urgent care can be a good option if you have a health concern but can't get in to see your doctor quickly enough.
True. Urgent care centers can deal with minor illnesses like colds, the flu, earaches, sore throats and low-grade fevers. They can also handle non-life-threatening injuries, such as sprains, bruises, minor broken bones or minor eye injuries.
True or false: Both urgent care centers and ERs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
False. ERs are open 24/7. Urgent care centers may be open 7 days a week, but with more limited hours that vary from location to location. Call ahead if you're unsure of an urgent care center's hours.
True or false: It's cheaper to be treated at an urgent care center than at an ER.
True. You're also likely to be seen and treated more quickly at an urgent care center. That's because urgent care centers see people on a 1st-come, 1st-served basis. ERs, on the other hand, treat patients based on the seriousness of their conditions.
True or false: If you or someone else has chest pain that lasts more than a few minutes, you should drive to an ER.
False. Call 911 instead. Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack, and a heart attack is always an emergency. But don't drive to the ER—the condition could get worse on the way. Call 911 for immediate medical help.
Call 911 if:
- You're unsure that you're facing an emergency.
- The condition threatens life or limb.
- The person could get worse on the way to the hospital, or traffic is an issue.
- Moving the person could cause further injury.
Sources: American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine; American College of Emergency Physicians; American Heart Association; National Institutes of Health
Skip the waiting room with InQuicker
Claiming your spot in line at a Mercyhealth urgent care clinic is made easy with the help of InQuicker, our free online scheduling system.
Just choose a facility, select a treatment time, fill out the info form, and sit back and relax until it's time for your appointment!
Important: For a life-threatening emergency call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Who should use this service?
This service is for non-life- and non-limb-threatening conditions only.
You should NOT use this service if you have a condition and/or illness that includes symptoms such as:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Severe abdominal pain
- Dizziness, weakness, vision disturbance or severe headaches
- Seizures
- Fever lasting more than four days
- Or, if the patient is:
- Under 3 months of age
- Pregnant
- In need of psychiatric care
- Has Sickle cell disease
A nurse may call you to verify that the illness is appropriate for this service. You may be directed to call 911 or to go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Patients using the emergency room and who sign up online may receive a phone call from a nurse acknowledging that we received your request and verifying that the illness is appropriate for this service. Anyone who has symptoms suggesting an illness or condition that may be life and/or limb threatening will be directed to call 911 or to go to the nearest emergency room immediately.