Urgent care, the ER or your own doctor? Here is how to decide where to go when you get sick, and what each option is really best for.
You wake up with a fever, a sore throat that feels like glass, or a twisted ankle from a weekend tennis match. The question comes fast: where do you go? For most people in Palm Beach County the choices are an urgent care clinic, the emergency room, or, if you have one, a concierge doctor. Each has a place. Knowing which is which can save you hours, money and a lot of frustration.
In brief
- Call 911 for chest pain, signs of a stroke, severe bleeding or trouble breathing.
- Urgent care handles minor illness and injury, but you see whoever is on shift.
- A concierge doctor already knows your history and can usually see you the same or next day.
What urgent care is good at
Urgent care clinics treat problems that need attention today but are not emergencies: colds, flu, minor cuts, sprains, rashes and urinary infections. They are open evenings and weekends, take walk-ins and usually cost less than the ER.
The trade-off is continuity. You see whichever provider is working that shift. They do not know your history, your medications or what worked for you last time. Once you leave, follow-up is usually up to you.
When the emergency room is the right call
The ER is for true emergencies. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for:
- Chest pain or pressure, or trouble breathing
- Signs of a stroke, such as face drooping, arm weakness or slurred speech
- Severe bleeding, a head injury, or a broken bone that is visibly out of place
- Confusion, fainting or a seizure
Emergency rooms see the sickest patients first, so a less serious problem can mean a very long wait.
What a concierge doctor does differently
With concierge medicine you pay a membership fee to have your own doctor with a small patient list. The point is access and continuity: you call, text or video the same doctor who already knows your history, and you are usually seen the same or next day.
At Wave Concierge in Boynton Beach, members can reach their doctor 24/7, weekends included. Labs, X-ray, ultrasound and MRI are in the same building, so a test that would normally mean a referral and another appointment can often be done in the same visit.
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Book a free consultation at our Boynton Beach office. Meet the team, see the office and ask anything. No obligation to join.
A side-by-side look
- Who you see: urgent care, whoever is on shift. ER, the emergency team on duty. Concierge, your own doctor every time.
- Wait time: urgent care, often under an hour but it varies. ER, can be many hours for non-emergencies. Concierge, usually the same or next day, with phone and text access any time.
- Your history: urgent care and the ER usually start from scratch. A concierge doctor already knows it.
- Follow-up: urgent care and the ER usually leave it to you. A concierge doctor follows up with you.
- Tests: urgent care has some on site. The ER has full testing. Wave has labs, X-ray, ultrasound and MRI in the building.
Three real-life examples
A fever on Saturday night
The usual way: urgent care has closed, so you either wait it out or spend the night in an ER waiting room. With a concierge doctor: you call or video your own doctor tonight and get advice from someone who knows your health.
A sprained ankle after tennis
The usual way: urgent care sends you somewhere else for an X-ray, then you wait for a call. At Wave: the X-ray is done in our building and your doctor goes over it with you.
A cough that will not go away
The usual way: three visits to three different clinics, each starting over. With your own doctor: one doctor tracks it from start to finish and adjusts the plan.
How to decide in the moment
- Is it life-threatening? Call 911.
- Do you have your own doctor you can reach today? Call them first. They know you and can tell you whether you need to be seen.
- If not, urgent care is a reasonable option for minor illness and injury.
Is concierge medicine worth it?
It depends on how much you value fast access and a doctor who knows you. For people managing a chronic condition, adult children looking after a parent, busy professionals and anyone tired of waiting rooms, having one doctor to call can make getting sick a lot less stressful.
At Wave, membership is $2,500 per member, billed every 6 months, for the Concierge plan, or $7,500 per member, billed every 6 months, for the Executive plan, which adds house calls when needed. We accept Medicare and most insurance for covered medical care. Compare the plans or read concierge medicine explained.
See how it works in person
Tour our Boynton Beach office, meet the team and get your questions answered. It is free and there is no pressure to join.
This article is general information, not medical advice for your situation. For a medical emergency, call 911.
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