Urgent Care Clinic Vs. 24 Hour Emergency Room
Freestanding Emergency Centers (FECs) are very different from Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs). We recognize that many prospective patients are confused about the differences between FEC's and UCC's.
There are a number of advantages and services that an Emergency Center offers that an Urgent Care Clinic does not. In short, an FEC offers all of the same services offered at a typical in-hospital emergency room – an Urgent Care does not.
Services offered by a reputable Freestanding Emergency Center should include:
- The Emergency Center should always be open (24/7).
- The FEC will have a full range of radiology services; X-ray, CT, Ultrasound, etc.
- The FEC will have a radiologist immediately available to read the films and provide reports.
- The FEC will have all laboratory services needed to diagnose urgent and emergent conditions.
- At an FEC, laboratory and radiology test results should be immediately available to the treating physician.
- FEC's always have a physician on premises and each patient will be seen by a physician and not just a physician assistant. An Urgent Care may not.
- Unlike an Urgent Care, the FEC physician will have Board Certification and/or the experience to deal with any kind of emergency condition no matter how serious.
- Freestanding Emergency Center's will always have a Registered Nurse on premises.
- The FEC physician should be able to spend more time with each patient and conduct a more thorough examination, if warranted.
- Should any patient's condition require hospital admission, Emergency Centers have transfer agreements with hospitals and can usually get a patient directly admitted to any major hospital.
Possible disadvantages of a Freestanding Emergency Center: A patient or the patient's health care insurer will be charged a facility fee in addition to a physician fee. Thus, a visit to an FEC may be more expensive than the Urgent Care. In terms of cost, the FEC provides services more similar to an "in-hospital" ER.
Choose a Service of Interest
- 24 Hour emergency care – Hospital quality without the inconvenience or the long wait.
- Immediate access to experienced emergency trained physicians with "Door to Physician" times averaging 15 minutes or less – NO WAIT.
- Care from exclusive emergency room physicians who are determined to change how patients are treated when they have an emergency.
- Acceptance of most medical insurance plans and all major debit and credit cards. We do not accept Tricare, Medicare or Medicaid.