Sharp Rees-Stealy Urgent Care Wait Times (2024)

FAQs

What time of day is urgent care least busy? ›

It is encouraged that potential patients come in during the late morning or early afternoon. This is the least busy time of day. Early morning and dinnertime are often the busiest. Make sure to bring a photo ID and all insurance cards.

This could be due to a surge in patient numbers, staffing challenges, or complex cases requiring more time and attention. Our healthcare professionals strive to balance these factors with the need to provide timely and effective care.

You should call 911 or come right to the emergency room if you're systemically sick. That's when an illness affects your entire body, and you have severe pain or sudden onset of severe symptoms, a fever that won't break, or “something doesn't work,” like you're unable to move an arm or leg or breathe normally.

Urgent care is when your condition, illness or injury is not life-threatening, but you need medical care for which treatment cannot be delayed until you can return to your health plan's service area.

From my experience in working in the ER and according to several studies, including a report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the least busy times at the ER are during the early morning hours, specifically between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. During these hours, there are usually fewer patients, leading to ...

Let's break it down: Monday: Often considered the busiest day at the ER, it's believed that people delay seeking medical care over the weekend and then head to the ER once the work week begins.

Con: Potential deferral to a hospital

Although urgent care and retail clinics are notoriously convenient, they do run the risk of making healthcare more complicated. For example, a patient may visit an urgent care facility only to be referred to an emergency department or hospital.

Get emergency help if you have fatigue and any of the following: Chest pain. Shortness of breath. Irregular or fast heartbeat.

Urgent cares usually offer medical treatment outside of regular doctor's office hours and a visit costs much less than a trip to the emergency room.

There are a few key differences between urgent care and the emergency room (ER). Urgent care is for injuries or illnesses that are not life-threatening. The emergency room, on the other hand, is for serious issues that may be considered a medical emergency.

What symptoms will get you admitted to the hospital? ›

Your urgent care physician will take note of your symptoms and run tests if necessary to provide you with a diagnosis. Generally speaking, if your chest pain is new, has changed (i.e., goes away and comes back), or is accompanied by other worrisome symptoms, it's best to go straight to the emergency room.

Urgent care

A care need that isn't an emergency but requires prompt medical attention, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Examples include: Minor injuries and cuts. Sore throats and earaches.

Get help as fast as possible.

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room or hospital. Call for an ambulance if you need it. You do not need to get approval or a referral first from your PCP.

ERs generally see a decline in patient visits during the early morning hours. Furthermore, weekends, in contrast to popular belief, also tend to be less crowded. If your condition is not life-threatening but still requires immediate medical attention, considering these off-peak hours might be beneficial.

The best time to go to the ER, according to 17,428 healthcare professionals. Patients receive the best care in the emergency room between 6 a.m. and noon, according to an exclusive poll of healthcare professionals around the world.

Does urgent care take Medi-Cal? Yes, our urgent care facilities accept Medi-Cal, which is California's Medicaid program. It offers medical coverage to low-income individuals and families. We strive to ensure that patients with Medi-Cal can receive the medical care they need.

The ETC is open 24 hours a day and staffed by either an emergency medicine or internal medicine physician. How to be seen at the ETC: For urgent medical issues, call: (800) USC-CARE or (323) 442-5100.