Where to Get the Best Care and When to Go

South Central Regional Medical Center offers Primary Care Clinics, Urgent Care Facility and an Emergency Department

Some decisions are easy: where to buy groceries, when to add gas to your car, but when it comes to healthcare, the choice is not always so clear.

When you are feeling sick or are injured, there are several key places you can go for medical care: a doctor’s office, an urgent care center or the emergency room. Here is a quick guide to help you know where to go, based on the urgency of your condition.

Doctor’s Office: Your primary care doctor should be your first call in non-emergency situations. Your doctor knows you and your health history, including what medications you are taking and what chronic conditions might need to be considered in your treatment.

This option can also help you avoid the long wait times typically found in an emergency room. Even if your doctor is unavailable or not an expert in the area of care you need, he or she can refer you to a specialist or another medical professional.

If you do not have a primary care doctor, take some time to review the options available at South Central Clinics by visiting scrmc.com/clinics.

Urgent Care Center: If you need care outside of regular office hours, urgent care centers are a good option. South Central Urgent Care is staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants and is designed to treat a range of conditions like cold and flu, ear infections and skin conditions. South Central Urgent Care can provide onsite X-rays.

Emergency Department: Emergency Departments are designed to treat urgent, acute and life threatening conditions and are not the place for routine care or minor ailments. If you feel you are dealing with a health emergency, call 911 or go to the South Central Emergency Department immediately. Otherwise, one of the above options will save you time and money, and clear the way for patients in need of emergency treatment.