Urgent Care vs Primary Care |
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The terms “urgent care” and “primary care” can be confusing, especially since some medical treatments overlap. However, there are key differences between the two, and understanding the differences can help you determine which one you’ll need: urgent care vs primary care.
What Is Urgent Care?
Urgent care refers to medical care that requires immediate medical treatment but does not necessitate a trip to the emergency room. Urgent care centers are open after hours and on weekends to treat burns, infections, and broken bones. Their main goal is to deliver immediate treatment for patients.
Urgent Care vs Primary Care at PHP
Many patients don’t visit a primary care doctor for various reasons:
- They don’t have one.
- They don’t want to pay the copay.
- They don’t have the time to visit a doctor’s office.
- They can’t wait for an available appointment that may not come for days or weeks.
These patients often visit urgent care instead of primary care because they think it is more convenient. Truthfully, urgent care visits are more expensive than general doctor’s visits with copays and surprise bills; they have long wait times and give doctors a very limited amount of time with patients.
With primary care at Primary Health Partners (PHP), you will never have a copay or surprise bills; you can schedule same-day or next-day appointments at your convenience and build a relationship with a primary care doctor you trust.
What Is Primary Care?
Primary care is the foundation of your well-being. Primary care offices focus on your medical history, chronic health conditions, immunizations, screenings, and routine checkups, such as blood tests and physicals. Primary care is usually provided by your primary care provider (PCP) like a family medicine doctor or a nurse practitioner. This professional becomes your key contact for all your medical needs.
Key Differences: A Quick Comparison
While urgent care and primary care serve important functions, they have key differences.
Differences |
Primary Care at PHP |
Urgent Care |
| Goal | Provides long-term health care focusing on prevention and overall wellness. Also helps manage chronic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes. | Provide urgent care facilities to patients who need immediate treatment for serious but non-life-threatening conditions. |
| Treatment | Provides patients with routine checkups, screenings, and physicals at low to no cost. | Treat minor injuries, such as broken bones and burns. |
| Availability | Office hours are six days a week, with same-day and next-day appointments available at any location. | Urgent care clinics or facilities are typically open after hours and on weekends. Patients do not need to make appointments. |
| Relationship | Patients have long-term relationships with their PCPs as doctors oversee their healthcare. | Patients usually have a one-time relationship with the urgent care team. |
| Cost | A primary care membership at PHP is $99/month with no copays, and most services and prescriptions are offered at wholesale cost. | Urgent care is usually more expensive than primary care and requires a copay for each visit. |
When to Go Where: A Guide to Choosing Urgent Care vs Primary Care
Here is a brief guide on where to go when choosing urgent care vs primary care in Oklahoma.
Go to Primary Care for:
- Routine checkups: Screenings, bloodwork, physicals, X-rays, pregnancy tests
- Managing diseases: Diabetes, asthma, depression, high blood pressure, thyroid, hypertension, hormone treatment, autoimmune disease, etc
- Preventative care: Vaccinations, cholesterol management, weight loss management, sports physicals, family planning
- Symptoms that aren’t urgent: Flu symptoms, back pain, chest pain, fevers, etc
- Follow-ups: Adjusting medications, monitoring after an illness
- Referral to specialists: Eye doctors, ENT doctors, etc
Go to Urgent Care for:
We understand that health concerns can arise anytime. With Primary Health Partners, you can connect with your primary care provider through supported messaging apps. Whether it’s a minor question or a serious issue, we’re here to help you.
If you have concerns about anything from broken bones to potential illnesses, your Oklahoma primary care provider can recommend a timeline for treatment options.
Turn to your primary care providers when you can. They can treat most injuries and illnesses at a fraction of the cost and are personally invested in your health and well-being. Your PCP will recommend immediate treatment if you need care before your provider is available.
Common Scenarios: Urgent Care vs Primary Care?
Here are some common scenarios that patients may experience.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Symptoms of UTI include a burning feeling when urinating, cloudy urine or strong-smelling urine. If you’re in a lot of pain and the symptoms are new or reoccurring, make an appointment with your PCP.
Kids’ Illnesses and Injuries
If your child has a fever, ear infection, sore throat, or another type of infection, immediately make an appointment with your primary care doctor. If your child has a sprain, cut, fracture, or burn, contact your primary care provider for urgent treatment options.
Back Pain
For reoccurring back pain, make an appointment with your PCP. If other symptoms, such as numbness, loss of bladder control, and weakness, accompany the back pain, contact your PCP for immediate treatment recommendations.
Concussion
If you suffer from a blow to the head and have confusion or mild dizziness, make an appointment with one of our primary care doctors. However, if you have severe symptoms like vomiting or loss of consciousness, reach out to your provider for immediate treatment options.
Tooth Pain
If you experience throbbing or sharp tooth pain and can’t see a dentist for emergency dental services, make an appointment with a primary care clinic for temporary pain relief.
Urgent Care vs Primary Care FAQs
Can Urgent Care Be Primary Care?
While urgent care can temporarily stand in for primary care if your PCP is unavailable, the care is short-term. Suppose you have an infection and need continuous management. In that case, you’re better off making an appointment with your PCP as it’s more cost-effective.
When Should You Go to Urgent Care vs Primary Care?
Choosing urgent care vs primary care can be confusing. Go to urgent care only when it’s necessary. Otherwise, go to your primary care facility. Primary care can typically replace any of your urgent care needs. When you visit our providers at Primary Health Partners, you’ll find they can cater to all your medical needs, whether urgent or not.
Is Urgent Care More Expensive Than Primary Care?
Urgent care is more expensive than primary care but still less expensive than an ER visit. Urgent care costs are typically higher because of their availability (open on weekends and after hours) and immediate treatment capabilities.
With urgent care vs primary care, urgent care is significantly more expensive than primary care at PHP, as you have to pay for each urgent care visit, services rendered, and any recommended prescriptions, which you will have to pick up from a separate facility. At PHP, you will not pay anything for medical treatment included in your membership, and you can leave the office with the prescriptions you received at cost.
Can Urgent Care Do: X-rays, Bloodwork, Stitches, Ultrasound, Prescribe Antibiotics, & Drain a Cyst?
Urgent care facilities provide limited services, such as stitches and X-rays. For more extensive services, such as blood work and antibiotics, make an appointment with your PCP. If you need your cyst drained, you can do that at a primary care facility. For ultrasounds, your PCP will perform them or refer you to a specialist.
Urgent Care vs Primary Care at PHP
Both urgent care and primary care are vital for managing your health. However, only turn to urgent care when your primary care facility is closed, and your provider recommends immediate treatment before it opens. Primary care facilities, like our team at Primary Health Partners, can take care of both your urgent care and primary care needs, even if you have an unexpected injury or illness.
Need an alternative to urgent care? Turn to Primary Health Partners. Primary Health Partners is more cost-effective and can meet most urgent care needs. We are a membership-based model and an alternative to traditional healthcare models.
Contact us today to find out more.
Primary Health Partners (PHP) is your partner in health, providing accessible and affordable care for families, individuals, and employers. Our mission is to empower individuals and families to achieve optimal health and well-being by offering comprehensive primary care services, including onsite labs and pharmacies, multiple locations, and personalized care plans. We believe in building strong doctor-patient relationships and providing exceptional service to our community. Whether you’re seeking a new primary care physician, managing chronic conditions, or simply looking to improve your overall health, Primary Health Partners is here to support you on your journey. Join our growing community of satisfied members and experience the difference.
