The many options particularly urgent care and free-standing ERs can make the head spin. The wrong choice can mean big bills and even poor outcomes. Facilities have little incentive to clear up the confusion.
The proliferation of care options particularly urgent care centers and free-standing emergency departments can make the head spin. For patients, the wrong choice may mean big bills and poor health outcomes.
One evening in February 2017, Sarah Dudley's husband, Joseph, started to feel sick. He had a high fever, his head and body ached, and he seemed disoriented, she said. The Dudleys had a decision to make: go to the hospital emergency room or to an urgent care clinic near their home in Des Moines, Iowa.