Urgent Care 101: Answers to the most commonly asked questions

Does your child waking up with a fever mean you need to make a visit to the emergency room (ER)? If you cut your finger while making dinner, is a trip to urgent care on the menu? What if your young soccer player sprains an ankle while going for goal?

Making the correct call about where to go for care can sometimes be tricky. Knowing when to go to urgent care, what conditions an urgent care clinic can treat and when going to the ER is the better choice can help you get the right care faster.

What can urgent care treat?

Many people already know they can be treated quickly at urgent care for minor illnesses such as pink eye, ear infection, strep throat, allergic reactions and fevers. But less well known is urgent care's ability to care for minor injuries such as burns, frostbite and cuts.

Urgent care also has the ability to treat vomiting and migraines and has access to EKG (cardiac readings), lab services, X-ray and imaging equipment, ultrasound and CT or MRI scans.

At Allina Health orthopedic urgent care locations, expert orthopedic specialists are available to evaluate and treat sprains and strains, sports injuries and suspected closed fractures (without an open wound).

It's better to go straight to the ER for open fractures (where you can see bone), if you think a tendon might be cut or if you think you could lose a limb. Still, if you show up at urgent care with a really serious injury or illness, you won't be turned away. We will quickly get you to the right place if you require care beyond what we are equipped to handle.

Urgent care vs. emergency room: When should you go?

Here’s a quick guide to help you decide which location is right for your situation:

• Call 911 or go to the emergency room for life-threatening injuries, heart attack or stroke symptoms, trouble breathing, drug overdose, uncontrolled bleeding or open fractures. A hospital ER has more resources and specialists at its disposal to treat severe problems.
• Go to urgent care for non-life-threatening care that is time sensitive. Urgent care offers a wide variety of tests, diagnostic equipment and highly trained clinicians. An orthopedic urgent care can treat non-life-threatening bone, joint or muscle injuries that need same day evaluation.
• Use virtual urgent care for expert guidance when you’re unable to walk-in to an urgent care location or don’t have time to wait in line. Virtual orthopedic urgent care may also be an option, allowing you to connect virtually with an orthopedic specialist.

What is the best time to go to urgent care?

You can't control when you get sick or injured, but if you are able, try to head to urgent care late morning or early afternoon. Wait times are often longer in the early morning and around dinnertime since most people tend to go to urgent care right before or after work or school.

Before you leave, check wait times for Allina Health Urgent Care locations. Keep in mind, patients with orthopedic injuries may sometimes be seen more quickly than the overall published wait time, depending on staffing and patient volume that day.

Should I call urgent care before I go?

Many health plans have nurse lines you can call if you are unsure about an injury or illness; however, it can be difficult to explain over the phone exactly what is wrong. If you call urgent care, you'll likely be told to come in for an assessment and given our best estimate of how long you'll have to wait to be seen. A nurse can quickly assess you and notify a physician if your condition is potentially serious.

Should I go to urgent care for the flu?

First, avoid the misery of the flu and protect yourself and others by getting a flu shot. If you do get the flu, you have a 48-hour window to get medication that can help you feel better faster and potentially prevent serious complications.

Urgent care can test for the flu, so it can be an option for you if your primary care physician isn't available.

Will I see a physician at urgent care?

Many urgent care clinics are staffed with physicians as well as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are advanced practice providers who work in urgent care and are experienced in the problems frequently encountered in this setting. They are trained to perform many medical duties that physicians do, including diagnosing illnesses, prescribing medications and ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests. They can readily consult with a board-certified physician working alongside them if needed.

In addition, expert orthopedic specialists are available at select Allina Health orthopedic urgent care locations to evaluate urgent care patients with bone, joint and muscle injuries that are not life-threatening but shouldn’t wait.

Can urgent care replace my primary care physician?

While urgent care can offer quick treatment when you are sick or injured, it doesn't replace your primary care physician. Having a physician you see regularly helps ensure someone is looking out for your future health, including making sure your immunizations are current, preventing or controlling chronic conditions, managing medications and discussing health screenings. 

Urgent care clinicians can help you establish care with a primary care clinician or schedule a follow-up visit, sharing the electronic record of your visit. This helps ensure your clinician is already familiar with your test results and treatments. Visit your primary care clinic or specialists, such as those at Allina Health Orthopedics, for scheduled appointments, preventive care or chronic condition management.