Urgent Care vs. Primary Care

Urgent Care vs. Primary CareUrgent care facilities such as Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado are always ready to serve you and your child’s non-emergency healthcare needs, but we may not be the best choice for everyday care for a variety of reasons. Knowing when to go seek urgent care vs. primary care is an essential part of making the most of your healthcare.

Think of urgent care facilities as a Plan B – fall back on them during weekends and after hours for can’t-wait-to-be-treated illnesses, or injuries that aren’t life threatening. For common ailments, such as sniffles and routine stomach bugs, your primary care facility is your best choice, for several reasons:

  • Existing relationships: Your child’s pediatrician knows her best. From her medical history, personal history and personality, your pediatrician goes beyond health records to provide the best individualized care for your child.
  • Price: Urgent care facilities aren’t staffed and scheduled the same way that primary care facilities are. Price structures reflect this, and in most cases, healthcare coverage reflects it as well, with higher copays and deductibles for urgent care visits.
  • Wait Times: We always strive to get patients taken care of as quickly as possible, but an urgent care facility triages patients similar to the way an emergency room does. Patients with minor illnesses may be forced to wait longer as we treat more severe conditions.

While it’s understandable that you want your child to start recovering as quickly as possible, you may be better served waiting until morning to see a doctor in cases when illnesses and injuries are only uncomfortable, not unbearable. We want all our patients to receive the best care possible, wherever that takes them!