Emergency department wait times in Maryland are some of the highest nationwide - and area hospitals like GBMC want you to 'know when to go'.
If you have a medical event such as a stroke, heart attack, or a fall greater than your height, you should go to the emergency department. Patients with multiple diagnoses or on multiple medications may also want to be seen in the ED, or those requiring immediate testing like CAT scans or an MRI.
For more straightforward injuries like basic sutures, simple breaks or fractures, or testing for an illness like flu, strep, or covid, urgent care is a good alternative to the emergency department. If your issue is more serious, an urgent care member can escalate you to the local ED.
Having a relationship with a primary care physician is also important. Your PCP can do annual testings and screenings that may catch health issues early for preventative treatment, as well as answer non-urgent questions.
Learn more here.
