OACM After Hours vs Urgent Care vs Emergency Room

When you or a loved one are sick or injured, deciding where to get care is the last thing you want to be worrying about, as it can be a stressful experience. Understanding your options now will make decision time easier when you need immediate care. Your primary doctor is the best place to start when you’re sick or hurt. They know your health history, including any underlying conditions you may have. When you visit your doctor for an illness or injury, they can make informed choices about your treatment and necessary tests. However, what if you get sick or injured when your doctor’s office is closed, or you cannot schedule an appointment for several weeks? 

The type of symptoms the patient is suffering from will dictate the after-hours establishment they should go to. 

OACM After Hours

OACM After Hours is our specific after-hour care service for minor acute orthopaedic injuries such as:

All patients will be seen by one of our orthopaedic physician assistants for the evaluation and treatment of their orthopaedic-related injuries.

Urgent Care

If your condition isn’t life-threatening but needs to be taken care of right away, then urgent care may be the right choice for you.

Urgent care can help you with common conditions such as:

  • Flu and cold
  • Coughs and sore throat
  • High fevers
  • Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain
  • Cuts and severe scrapes
  • Broken bones
  • Minor injuries and burns
  • Sports injuries
  • COVID-testing

Emergency Room

The Emergency Room (ER), is a place to go for true medical emergencies and is open 24-hours a day seven days a week. While the ER can help care for any medical situation, it can become very expensive. The ER costs an average of three times more than a visit to the urgent care. In a non-life-threatening situation, you can most likely be treated at an urgent care. If you have a true emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately.

Emergency rooms can handle trauma, X-rays, and surgical procedures. Visit the ER for care when you experience any of the following:

  • Allergic reactions
  • Animal bites
  • Broken bones
  • Chest pain
  • Constant vomiting
  • Continuous bleeding
  • Severe shortness of breath
  • Deep wounds
  • Weakness or pain in a leg or arm
  • Head injuries