If you think you or someone near you is having a medical emergency, call 911 now. Do not read further, do not drive yourself, and do not wait to call your doctor first.

For everything else, the choice between the emergency department, urgent care and your own doctor is not always obvious. This guide uses the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus guidance and CDC warning signs to make it a little clearer.

Call 911 for these

MedlinePlus lists situations where someone cannot wait and you should call 911 right away, including:

  • Choking, or a person who has stopped breathing.
  • Severe chest pain or pressure.
  • A seizure lasting more than one minute, or one after which the person does not quickly wake up.
  • Sudden inability to speak, see, walk or move.
  • Sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the body.

Stroke. The CDC teaches B.E. F.A.S.T.: Balance loss or dizziness; Eyes, trouble seeing; Face, one side droops when the person smiles; Arms, one arm drifts down when both are raised; Speech, slurred or strange; Time to call 911. Other sudden signs include numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, confusion, trouble understanding speech, and a severe headache with no known cause. Note the time symptoms started, and wait for the ambulance rather than driving, because treatment can begin on the way.

Heart attack. The CDC lists the major symptoms as chest pain or discomfort; feeling weak, light-headed or faint; pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back; pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders; and shortness of breath. Unusual tiredness and nausea or vomiting can also occur, and women are more likely to have these other symptoms. Call 911 immediately.

If someone is thinking about harming themselves, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If someone has made an attempt, call 911 and stay with them.

Go to the emergency department (or call 911) for these

MedlinePlus also lists problems that belong in the emergency department, by ambulance if needed:

  • Trouble breathing.
  • Fainting or passing out.
  • An unusual or severe headache, especially one that comes on suddenly.
  • Heavy bleeding.
  • Sudden confusion.
  • High fever with headache and a stiff neck.
  • Vomiting or diarrhea that will not stop.
  • Poisoning or an overdose of medicine, drugs or alcohol.

Cleveland Clinic’s physicians give a useful rule of thumb in their ER versus urgent care guidance: if the word you would use for a symptom is “severe,” the emergency department is the safer choice.

When urgent care makes sense

Urgent care is for problems that are not life-threatening but need attention sooner than a routine appointment. MedlinePlus gives examples such as colds, flu, earaches, sore throats, low-grade fevers, limited rashes, sprains, back pain, minor cuts and burns, minor broken bones and minor eye injuries.

MedlinePlus also notes that the same care usually costs much more in an emergency department than in a doctor’s office, and insurance may charge a higher copay. That is a reason to use the emergency department for emergencies, never a reason to avoid it when you need it.

When to call your doctor first

If the problem is not on the 911 or emergency lists and you are unsure, MedlinePlus suggests calling your own doctor. Your doctor knows your history and medicines, which matters with problems such as:

  • A new symptom that is bothering you but is not severe.
  • A possible side effect from a new medicine.
  • Home blood pressure or blood sugar readings that are higher or lower than usual, without emergency symptoms.
  • A flare of a known condition, such as a urinary infection you have had before.
  • Questions about whether something you saw in urgent care needs follow-up.

MedlinePlus also suggests saving a few numbers in your phone now, before you need them: your doctor, the nearest emergency department, the nearest urgent care, and your insurer’s nurse line.

After an ER or urgent care visit

Ask for a copy of the discharge summary and any test results, and send them to your regular doctor. Bring the paperwork and any new prescriptions to your follow-up so your medication list stays accurate. Our article on concierge care and a hospital stay covers the follow-up visit after a bigger event.

At Legacy Medical, members can reach the practice by phone at any hour, which often settles the “is this urgent?” question with a short conversation, and same or next business day visits cover many problems that would otherwise mean urgent care. None of that replaces 911 in an emergency. To learn more, book a complimentary meet and greet.

This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Members can call the office with questions about their own care.