• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
OSMC
  • Make an appointment today! (574) 264-0791
  • Patient
    Portal
  • Bill
    Pay
  • Reserve an
    Appointment
  • Self Pay
    Pricing
  • Hurt
    App
  • Home
  • About Us
    • The Way to Care.
    • OSMC Patient Reviews
    • OSMC = 50 Years of CARE!
    • Careers & Jobs at OSMC & The Surgery Centers
  • Our Providers
    • Christopher M. Annis, MD
    • David A. Beatty, MD
    • Joseph M. Caldwell, II, MD
    • Edith M. Cullen, MD
    • David A. Cutcliffe, MD
    • Craig W. Erekson, MD
    • Ryan P. Foreman, MD
    • Sean M. Henning, DPM
    • Jacob R. Hinkley, DO
    • Jason J. Hix, MD
    • James R. Jastifer, MD
    • Skyler J. King, DO
    • Deb S. Maiden, NP-C
    • Megan Maloney, PA-C
    • Julia K. Pagano, DPM
    • David J. Pope, MD
    • Julie A. Rheinheimer, NP-C
    • J. Mark Schramm, MD
    • Jonathan D. Schrock, MD
    • Kyle A. Schultz, DO
    • J. Benjamin Smucker, MD
    • Jeffrey R. Sonntag, DO
    • Willis W. Stevenson, MD
    • Celeste M. Warlick, NP-C
  • Conditions We Treat
    • Back & Spine
    • Neck
    • Shoulder
    • Elbow
    • Hand & Wrist
    • Hip
    • Knee
    • Foot & Ankle
  • Services & Specialties
    • General Orthopedics
    • Sports Medicine
    • Concussion Care
    • Trauma & Fractures
    • Total Joint Replacement
    • Robot Assisted Joint Replacement
    • Physical Therapy
    • Hand Therapy
    • Podiatry
    • Pain Management
    • Bone Health – Osteoporosis
    • Durable Medical Equipment
    • MRI
    • Work Injury Care
    • Independent Medical Exams (IME)
    • Telehealth
    • Self-Pay Pricing
    • HURT! App – 24-7-365
  • Walk-In Clinics
    • Walk-In Clinic Elkhart California Road
    • Walk-In Clinic Goshen
    • Walk-In Clinic Granger Mishawaka
  • Two Surgery Centers
  • Patient Resources
    • Patient Information and Forms
      • New Patient Forms
      • Advance Directives
      • Patient Rights
      • Patient Responsibilities
      • Grievance Policy
    • Medical Record Request
    • Prescription Refills
    • Cast Care Instructions
    • Phreesia – Online Scheduling
    • Phreesia – Check-In
    • Phreesia – Online Bill Pay
    • Patient Portal
    • Quotes Available
    • Billing Questions
    • Blog & Articles
  • Contact & Locations
    • Elkhart, IN
    • Elkhart Health & Aquatics
    • Granger, IN
    • Goshen, IN
    • Middlebury, IN
    • Nappanee, IN
    • Holiday Hours at OSMC

When To Go To Urgent Care vs. The Emergency Room

June 10, 2020

Today, it’s hard to know where you should or can go for medical help.

In the event of an injury like a sprain, dislocation or a broken bone, you still need care! So, what do you do? Do you visit your local emergency room (ER)? Or head to the nearest urgent care center?

Today, more than ever, that’s a great question. There are several urgent cares in our area, but most people don’t know what makes them different from emergency rooms.

Urgent care is a term typically used for a facility that provides a more affordable option for basic medical care than an emergency room. Urgent care centers are perfect for most non-emergency situations.

At OSMC, our walk-in urgent care clinic is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. We are also offering same day appointments at all of our locations.

An urgent care center is ideal if your injury isn’t an emergency, such as any of the following:

  • Broken/Fractured Bones
  • Strains and sprains
  • Ligament and Tendon Injuries
  • Back pain
  • Dislocations
  • Sports injuries
  • Swollen or painful joints

But wouldn’t an emergency room will treat these problems, too? Why go to urgent care? Cost and convenience are why. Plus, emergency rooms are better suited for actual emergencies. If you have a life-threatening injury or experience severe bleeding, go straight to your nearest ER.

Whether you schedule a same-day appointment at one of our offices or make a visit to our walk-in clinic every patient at OSMC will see a board-certified physician whose expertise is orthopedic injuries. You don’t need a referral, which means patients can receive specialized care quickly, which could potentially lead to quicker recovery times as well.

Learn more about General Orthopedics >>

If you experience a non-emergency injury, call 574-264-0791 to schedule a same-day appointment with a doctor at an OSMC office today — no referral needed! Or, visit our walk-in clinic located inside the Elkhart Health and Aquatic Center in Downtown Elkhart from 1-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  AND, New! OSMC walk-in clinic in Granger – Mishawaka is open 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.  AND  1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

 

 

This blog post is not intended to provide personal medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment to you or to any other individual. It is information for educational purposes only. You should not use this information in place of a consutatation or the advice of a healthcare provider. 

 

 

 

Filed Under: General

Footer

OSMC Ortho Blog

Find out what our doctors are up to and discover the latest orthopedic news that matters to you.

Read More 
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Careers & Jobs at OSMC & The Surgery Centers
  • Our Providers
  • Conditions We Treat
  • Services & Specialties
  • Walk-In Clinics
  • Two Surgery Centers
  • Patient Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact & Locations
  • Book an Appointment
  • Accessibility Statement
  • HIPAA Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

OSMC
Phone:(574) 264-0791

Copyright © · OSMC · All Rights Reserved
574-319-7134

[ih_bug image="white" width="165" class="ih-bug"]

OSMC providers offer diagnosis and treatment for conditions that most commonly affect different areas of the body such as Back & Spine, Neck, Shoulder, Elbow, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, and Foot & Ankle.