When a sudden illness or accident strikes you, your child, or aging parent, it can be confusing and stressful to decide where to go for help.
Naturally, in severe or life-threatening emergencies we know to call 911. However, those times that fall in the gray area of "should I take my child to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room" can be fraught with worry and concern.
An emergency room visit can be more costly and time-consuming than a visit to an urgent or immediate care clinic. It can also be unnecessary. We have listed below a chart of common conditions and the most appropriate choice for each.
A good rule of thumb is the following:
Immediate or Urgent Care: A serious but minor illness, injury, or condition that requires immediate attention and you are able to go to the clinic during hours of operation.
Emergency Department: A severe illness, injury, or condition. Call 911 for paramedic and ambulance assistance.
| JMH Immediate Care Map (317) 346-2273 |
Johnson Memorial Emergency Room Map (317) 736-2600 |
| Condition | ||
| Allergies | Immediate Care | |
| Asthma attack (minor) | Immediate Care | |
| Asthma attack (severe) | Emergency Room | |
| Bleeding that won’t stop | Emergency Room | |
| Broken bone (bone sticking out of skin) | Emergency Room | |
| Broken bone (if not sticking out of skin) | Immediate Care | |
| Bronchitis | Immediate Care | |
| Burn (severe) | Emergency Room | |
| Burn (minor) | Immediate Care | |
| Cast problem (soiled or wet) | Emergency Room | |
| Colds | Immediate Care | |
| Cough | Immediate Care | |
| Cut (severe) | Emergency Room | |
| Cut (minor) | Immediate Care | |
| Dehydration | Emergency Room | |
| Diarrhea | Immediate Care | |
| Dizziness | Immediate Care | |
| Earache and ear infection | Immediate Care | |
| Fainting | Emergency Room | |
| Fever (infants less than 2 months old) | Emergency Room | |
| Fever (children more than 2 months old) | Immediate Care | |
| Headache | Immediate Care | |
| Head Injury (minor and without loss of consciousness) | Immediate Care | |
| Head injury | Emergency Room | |
| Insect or minor dog bite | Immediate Care | |
| Migraine headache | Emergency Room | |
| Nausea | Immediate Care | |
| Pink eye | Immediate Care | |
| Pneumonia | Emergency Room | |
| Poisoning | Emergency Room | |
| Pregnancy-related issue | Emergency Room | |
| Rash | Immediate Care | |
| Seizure | Emergency Room | |
| Shock | Emergency Room | |
| Sore throat | Immediate Care | |
| Sprain or strain | Immediate Care | |
| Stitches | Immediate Care | |
| Stomach pain (mild) | Immediate Care | |
| Stomach pain (severe) | Emergency Room | |
| Swallowed object | Emergency Room | |
| Trouble breathing | Emergency Room | |
| Urinary infection | Immediate Care |
Sometimes accidents happen. Problems arise and there isn't any time to call and make an appointment. We understand completely and that’s why we have our Immediate Care Center to provide care for acute conditions on a walk-in basis. We want to offer you a quick diagnosis and treatment and get you back on your way.
An average visit to our Immediate Care Center takes only about 40 minutes and we have a physician onsite during all hours of operation.
Besides the common conditions listed above, you can also get these other services without an appointment:
- Sports Physicals
- Urine Dips
- X-Ray Services
- Eye, Ear & Skin Irrigation
- Pregnancy Testing
- Foreign Body Removal
- Rapid Strep Testing
- DOT Physicals
- Mono Spot Testing
- Flu & Pneumonia Vaccines