Holiday Mishaps: When to Visit Urgent Care Instead of the ER

Holidays are supposed to be full of joy and good cheer, but they can also come with mishaps and accidents. For example, did you know that more than 18,000 people go to the emergency room (ER) due to tree decorating accidents?

The reality is that accidents around the holidays are commonplace, but that doesn’t mean they should derail the entire day, which can happen if you head to a busy ER. 

Our team offers comprehensive and multi-disciplinary care at LaSante Health Center, and we also offer an excellent alternative to busy ERs — urgent care. 

Here’s a look at some of the compelling advantages of using an urgent care center versus an ER for minor mishaps and illnesses over the holidays.

When illness and injury don’t take a timeout

Not only do injuries and illnesses still occur over the holidays, they tend to increase during this time. For example, ERs across the country see about 150,000 toy-related injuries, as well as the decorating mishaps we already mentioned.

When you add weather and alcohol to the mix, there are also plenty of slips and falls during the holidays. Not to mention, respiratory viruses tend to make more rounds when people gather.

Our point here is that ERs in the United States typically receive more than 155 million visits each year, and they can really get backlogged over the holidays because of the increase in risk factors for illness and injury.

This is where our urgent care center can save the day. Instead of facing crowded ERs, you can be seen by one of our urgent care experts more quickly and in a far less chaotic atmosphere.

When to head to urgent care

There are times when an ER is the better choice, especially when it comes to major accidents and illness complications. But if you’re dealing with something less serious, an urgent care center is often the better choice.

At our urgent care center, we handle routine health issues, such as:

• Cuts and stitches
• Minor burns
• Sprains
• Infections and abscess care
• Ear infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Sore throats
• Stomach upset, including nausea and vomiting
• Sinus infections
• Asthma flare-ups

Our clinic is equipped with on-site labs and X-ray, so we can handle these minor emergencies quickly and easily get you back to your holiday celebrations.

Again, if it’s something more serious, such as chest pains or a badly broken bone, an ER is better equipped. For all other routine and more minor health issues, there’s a good chance our team can help.

If you’re at all on the fence about whether to head to our urgent care center or to an ER, you can always give our Brooklyn, New York, clinic a call in advance at 718-313-3476 for more guidance.

If you know that our urgent care center can handle your minor medical emergency, we invite you to visit us during our hours of operation. You can also book an appointment online if you’d prefer to have a set time for medical help.   

Our team proudly serves the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.