When it comes to seeking medical attention, there are a variety of options to choose from. Primary care doctors, specialists, urgent care facilities, and emergency rooms are some of the options that many find themselves choosing between when they are sick or injured. While there are plenty of ways to get treated, some visits can end up costing far more than others. For example, visits to the emergency room tend to be far more expensive than visits to an urgent care center. It can be difficult to determine whether or not an urgent care center is the right choice. Here are three times when an urgent care center may be the right choice.  

The Illness Or Injury Is Non-Life-Threatening

If an illness or injury is not life-threatening, a visit to an urgent care center is often the best option. Urgent care centers are able to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries. Anything from a broken bone to a head cold can be treated. If the symptoms are not severe, an urgent care center can help. If the patient is experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pains, seizures, or other symptoms that indicate a life-threatening problem, then a visit to the emergency room is the better option.

Cost Is A Concern

While emergency rooms also treat non-life-threatening conditions, going to one for this type of ailment can be a big hit to the wallet. For those who are worried about cost, an urgent care visit is going to be less expensive than an emergency room visit on average. The average cost of a visit to urgent care is around $120 while a visit to the emergency room costs $400. Even with insurance coverage, the cost of an urgent care center tends to be lower.

Don't Want To Waste Time

When a patient goes to an emergency room they are seen in order of the severity of their condition. For those who have issues that are not threatening their lives, the wait times can be long. The average wait time for the emergency room is just over 2 hours. In contrast, a visit to an urgent care center is usually completed within 30 minutes. Patients who are waiting in busy emergency rooms can be there for hours before receiving treatment.

When it comes to illness or injury it can be difficult to decide where to get treatment. While the emergency room is a good choice for severe symptoms or injuries, often an urgent care center can help in the case of non-life-threatening medical problems. Patients who want to save time and money when treating their non-life=threatening illness or injury may find that an urgent care center is their best option.