Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room vs. Walk-in Clinic:
Where Should You Go?
Not sure whether to visit the emergency room, urgent care or a Scripps HealthExpress walk-in clinic? If you are concerned about your symptoms and unsure where to go, understanding your care options can help you get the right treatment when and where you need it.
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Symptoms |
Emergency Room Go to the ER when life or limb are at risk. Staff are ready 24/7 for critical situations. |
Urgent Care For conditions that can't wait for an appointment but are not emergencies. |
Walk-in Clinic at Scripps HealthExpress Convenient same-day care for minor illnesses and routine needs (adults and kids). |
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Abdominal pain |
⭐ Emergency Room |
⭐ Urgent Care |
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Broken bones and dislocated joints |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Chest pain or difficulty breathing |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Concussion or confusion |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Cough and congestion |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Dehydration |
⭐ Urgent Care |
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Earache |
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⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Eye pain or vision changes / concerns |
⭐ Emergency Room |
⭐ Urgent Care |
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Eye redness, discharge, itching |
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⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Facial lacerations |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Fainting or change in mental state |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Fever with a rash |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Fever without a rash |
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⭐ Urgent Care |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Flu-like symptoms |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Head or eye injury |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Moderate flu-like symptoms |
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⭐ Urgent Care |
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Painful urination |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Rashes without fever |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Seizures |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Serious burns |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Severe cold or flu symptoms |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Severe cuts that may require stitches |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Shortness of breath |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Slurred speech |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Small cuts that may require stitches |
⭐ Urgent Care |
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Sore throat |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Sports & camp physicals (excluding labs) |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Sprains and strains |
⭐ Urgent Care |
⭐ Walk-in Clinic |
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Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Vomiting or persistent diarrhea |
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⭐ Urgent Care |
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Weakness or numbness on one side |
⭐ Emergency Room |
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Wheezing |
⭐ Urgent Care |
Call 911 immediately for:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Any symptoms of heart attack, including:
- Chest pain
- Pain in the left arm or jaw
- Sudden weakness
- Dizziness
- Life- or limb-threatening injury
- Signs of a stroke such as:
- Slurred speech
- Severe headache
- Weakness or numbness on one side of the face or body
- Loss of consciousness