How to choose the right urgent care for an injury or illness
If you have a health care need that just can’t wait, your first thought may be urgent care – and for good reason. Urgent care is one of the best ways to get same-day care for illness or injury. But if you or a loved one has a bone, muscle or ligament injury, orthopedic urgent care may save you time and money.
Here’s when to choose between general urgent care and orthopedic urgent care.
What to do for coughing, fevers, infections, and rashes
If you need same-day care for an illness, an infection, or bothersome symptoms, general urgent care is a great place to start. This is especially true if you’re not sure what’s causing your symptoms, or you may need hands-on treatment. When you meet with a doctor, they’ll do a physical exam, run necessary tests and ensure you get the treatment you need.
For common conditions that don’t need in-person care, you may be able to skip urgent care all together. The Virtuwell online clinic provides fast, convenient care for cold and flu symptoms, sinus infection, hives and rashes without an appointment or doctor’s visit.
What to do if something is twisted, fractured, or sprained
For bone, muscle, and ligament injuries, orthopedic urgent care can be a better option. Yes, it’s likely that your usual urgent care can treat some of these injuries, but choosing orthopedic urgent care can save you time and money.
At orthopedic urgent care, you’ll see orthopedic and sports medicine doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal injuries, like broken wrists, torn ACLs, dislocations, and sports concussions. The visit will include the same care as a scheduled orthopedic appointment, with same-day access to physical therapy, hand therapy, imaging, and orthopedic surgeons. Because of this, you or your loved one may need fewer follow-up appointments.
When urgent care isn’t a good option for same-day care
Reasons to go to the emergency room instead of urgent care include chest pain, difficulty breathing, a severe allergic reaction, serious injury, or uncontrolled breathing. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room.
Simple and affordable urgent care for all your needs
HealthPartners has over 20 urgent care locations in the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin, including five TRIA Orthopedic Urgent Care locations. All our locations are open daily with extended hours, and you can check the location listings to see anticipated wait times and use the “Save My Spot” feature to come in closer to check-in time.
