What To Look For In An Emergency Room Near Me

When time is of the essence, finding the closest emergency room near you may show that the closest emergency room is, in fact, not close at all. While many urgent care facilities claim to treat “emergency” situations, they may not be equipped with the staff, technology, and tools to handle higher-level emergencies.

At iCare ER & Urgent Care, with locations in Frisco and Fort Worth, TX, we treat patients in our unique, hybrid model, offering both emergency and urgent care options all in one place. Our board-certified emergency room physicians and our experienced and professional staff are experts in treating true emergency cases and offer treatment options more suited for an urgent care environment.

What’s the difference between an emergency room and urgent care?

One of the biggest dilemmas when you feel you need immediate medical treatment is deciding whether it is an ER-type of visit or if you should go to the local urgent care facility. Oftentimes, patients assume that the emergency room or a freestanding ER, like iCare ER & Urgent Care, is the only solution to treat issues after-hours or on the weekend. With the emergence of urgent care centers in local neighborhoods, the options become more numerous, and there may be even more uncertainty about where to go.

Urgent care facilities essentially bridge the gap between what is offered in an emergency room and what is provided at a primary care physician’s office. Urgent care can treat a broad range of acute or minor medical conditions, including

• coughs
• fevers
• sore throat
• urinary infections
• minor sprains or broken bones

Urgent care can also provide flu/strep tests and flu shots. While they can offer many of the same services available in a local physician’s office, they typically do not have the specialized medical equipment or emergency trained physicians needed for critical or life-threatening medical situations.

At iCare ER & Urgent Care, we offer a customized approach to medical care, with both emergency facilities and urgent care services at our locations in Frisco and Fort Worth, TX. When a patient comes for treatment, our staff will assess the ailment and determine the level of care required.

What is treated in an emergency room?

In a real medical emergency, it is important to seek immediate attention since many health concerns, injuries, symptoms, and complications can progress quickly. It is vital to visit your local iCare ER & Urgent Care in Frisco or Fort Worth, TX if you or a family member/friend experience any of the following:

• difficulty breathing
• dehydration
• passing out/fainting/loss of consciousness
• severe pain that cannot be tolerated
• noticeable and sudden change in mental state
• chest pains
• seizure
• broken bones
• head trauma or a possible concussion
• uncontrolled or heavy bleeding
• severe allergic reaction
• burns
• complex lacerations needing stitches
• COVID-19 testing

Emergency services are also advised if a person has a chronic or serious illness, like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues, cancer, etc.

How to choose the best emergency room near you

While there are many factors to consider when choosing the best emergency room in Frisco or Fort Worth, TX to treat you or a loved one, here are some things to keep in mind, depending on the severity of the condition:

• Location. How far is the emergency room from your home/neighborhood, office, school, or other location? You should always know where the closest emergency room is should the need for treatment arise.

• Experience. Does the on-site staff have emergency room experience? Are there board-certified emergency room physicians on-site 24/7? You want to be sure that the team treating you is fully equipped with the knowledge, skills, and technology for what ails you or a loved one.

• Fast and efficient care. You don’t want to be treated as just a number. It is important that you choose an emergency room in Frisco or Fort Worth, TX, like iCare ER & Urgent Care, that is able to provide immediate care. Oftentimes, patients with “level 3” emergencies, like abdominal pains, high fevers, complex lacerations, broken bones, concussions, and asthma attacks, are left waiting to be seen in hospital ERs. Not at iCare ER & Urgent Care. Treating these types of emergencies is where we shine.

Why choose iCare ER & Urgent Care in Frisco or Fort Worth?

One of the unique benefits to choosing iCare is that we have both an emergency room and urgent care facility under the same roof at both our Frisco and Fort Worth, TX locations. Whether you are experiencing a seizure, migraine, need stitches, have heart palpitations, or need COVID-19 testing, the team at iCare ER & Urgent Care is trained in providing emergency care for a number of conditions, and will help to determine whether you need treatment in the ER or urgent care side of our facility.

All of the physicians at iCare ER & Urgent Care are board-certified in emergency medicine and have experience working in hospital-based ERs throughout Texas. With state-of-the-art technology in-house, iCare can facilitate diagnostic imaging, including digital X-ray, ultrasounds, CT scans, and more, as well as providing testing in our on-site laboratory.

While there are instances when emergency services are needed, iCare ER & Urgent Care offers the option to visit with an urgent care physician if that is the more appropriate course of action. If you have a question about the need for medical care, please contact our Frisco or Fort Worth, TX location for more information.