Emergency room or urgent care – which do I need?
Earaches, ankle sprains, chest pain. Illness and injury can happen anytime, and some symptoms may be signs of a life-threatening condition.
Where should you go when you need care fast?
M Health Fairview has several options, from quick and convenient eVisits, to virtual and in-person urgent care visits, to our emergency departments. The solution that’s right for you depends on several factors, including your age, chronic conditions, and the type of treatment you’re likely to need.
If you’re unsure where to go, call 1-855-FAIRVIEW and ask to be directed to the M Health Fairview Nurse Triage Line. An experienced nurse will listen to your symptoms and guide you to the appropriate place. You can also check your symptoms with our symptom checker tool in the M Health Fairview app or website.
We asked a panel of M Health Fairview experts for more information on when to schedule an online visit, walk into urgent care, or head to the emergency department. Scroll down to learn more.
Start an eVisit from the comfort of home or find an in-person urgent care location near you.
Ask yourself, ‘What am I concerned about?’
You’re the expert on how you’re feeling – and on your own medical history. Matthew Sanocki, PA-C, is a physician assistant in our urgent care clinics. To decide between urgent care or the emergency department, he recommends asking yourself: ‘What am I concerned could happen?’
If it’s something as serious as a heart attack or stroke based on your symptoms or pre-existing conditions, you should call 911 and seek emergency medical care as soon as possible.
“Common things we’re able to treat in urgent care are along the lines of ear infections, urinary tract infections, and minor injuries,” said Donald Lee, MD, medical director of M Health Fairview Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic services. “We can take care of those concerns in less time and at less cost than an emergency department.”
If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
In general, go to urgent care if you’re experiencing:
- Fever (Infants less than 60 days old experiencing fever should be taken to the emergency department.)
- Minor burns
- Minor wounds requiring stitches
- Minor allergic reaction (no difficulty breathing)
- Abdominal pain (not severe)
- Minor head injury or concussion
- Sore throat
- Ear infection
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Minor skin conditions (rashes, skin infections, abscesses, bug bites)
- Urinary or sexual health concerns
- Nose bleeds
What about walk-in care? Our walk-in and urgent care locations are largely the same. They both see patients on a first-come, first-served basis and offer the same types of care.
Sports injury? We also offer rapid orthopedic and sports medicine care for minor muscle, bone, or joint injuries. M Health Fairview Clinic – Blaine has an Acute Injury Walk-In Clinic, which is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. M Health Fairview Sports Medicine Same Day Access Clinic – Fulton in Minneapolis also offers same-day care for orthopedic and sports injuries. No appointment is necessary, but you must call ahead and receive a time to come in.
Our urgent care hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
View a complete list of our urgent care and walk-in locations, which will also show you the estimated wait time at each clinic.
You can also access care from the comfort of home, including for mild cases of COVID-19, flu, and other respiratory illnesses. Our eVisits provide 24/7 care for dozens of minor conditions, no appointment or waiting room necessary. Simply fill out a questionnaire about your symptoms. The next available provider will review your symptoms and get back to you within an hour. Learn more here.
In general, go to the emergency department if you’re experiencing:
- Chest pain
- Severe difficulty breathing
- Acute pregnancy-related issues
- Severe burns or cuts
- Head injury with loss of consciousness, seizure, or vomiting
- Rabies exposure
- Symptoms of a suspected stroke
- Severe dizziness or lightheadedness
- Sudden changes in brain function
- Severe, sudden headache or abdominal pain
- Seizure
- Sexual assault
- Suicidal ideation
Within M Health Fairview, we refer all patients experiencing the symptoms or events listed above to our emergency departments for care. Our emergency departments have access to the urgent lab and imaging testing needed to assess and treat people with the above symptoms.
We have emergency departments at all M Health Fairview hospitals, open 24/7.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency, always call 911.
What to expect during an urgent care or emergency department visit:
Our urgent care clinics and emergency departments have different capabilities and processes for seeing patients.
In the emergency department, patients are triaged when they arrive. This means a nurse checks their symptoms. Those with the most severe symptoms are seen first. Once triaged, an IV may be placed, lab work performed, or other tests ordered. Then patients meet with trained emergency medicine physicians who specialize in treating acute illnesses and injuries.
Our urgent care clinics see patients on a first-come, first-served basis. Our website now lists estimated wait times for each clinic location, which can help you determine where you’d like to be seen. You can also schedule a virtual urgent care visit online. Providers at our virtual visits and urgent care clinics are often family medicine physicians or advanced practice providers meaning they have experience in a wide range of common concerns.
What to expect during an eVisit:
An eVisit is a great way to ask about minor medical issues, including mild cases of COVID-19, flu, and other respiratory illnesses. You’ll complete an online questionnaire about your symptoms via MyChart, then select "next available provider" to receive a rapid email response from an experienced provider.
If you don't have a MyChart account, you'll be asked to create one prior to starting your eVisit. This can be completed online. Our eVisits are available 24/7 every day of the year. Learn more here.
View urgent care locations, schedule a virtual urgent care visit, or start an eVisit.
If you are unsure where to go, call 1-855-FAIRVIEW and request the Nurse Triage Line.
