When you are not feeling well, it is not always obvious where to go. Call your primary care doctor? Head to urgent care? Wait it out? Making the right call saves you time, money, and stress, so here is a simple way to think about it.
Your primary care doctor is the right call for most things. For anything ongoing, anything related to a condition you already have, medication questions, and most everyday illnesses, your primary care provider is the best choice. They know your history, which means better decisions and better continuity. If you can get a same week appointment, which we work hard to offer, most issues are best handled here, not at a walk in clinic that has never met you.
Urgent care fills the gap for minor, right-now problems. Urgent care is useful when your doctor’s office is closed and you have something minor that cannot wait, like a suspected infection, a minor injury, or a fever that needs same day attention. It is faster than an emergency room for small things, but the provider does not know you, and the visit does not connect back to your ongoing care unless you make sure it does.
Some things are emergencies, and you should not wait. Chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of a stroke like face drooping or slurred speech, severe bleeding, or any sudden and severe symptom means call 911 or go to the emergency room. When in doubt with something serious, do not try to figure it out. Get emergency help.
The advantage of having a primary care home is that you have somewhere to call first, and someone who knows you. At VPMC, we aim to be that first call, with same week availability when you are unwell. When you are established with us, the where do I go question gets a lot simpler.
Closing line: New patients are always welcome at our Lansdowne and Reston offices. Call (571) 206-8696 or book online at vpmcwellness.com.
