Urgent Care Versus Primary Care: What You Need to Know

When you or a loved one aren’t feeling well or have an injury, getting proper care is important. But should you schedule a primary care appointment or head straight to urgent care? 

While there’s some crossover, as you’ll see below, primary and urgent care fulfill different needs and purposes. Learning a bit about both forms of care can help you make the best decisions for you and your family. 

Dr. Timothy Scott Beck and his team of experts at Life Point Medical are pleased to provide primary and urgent care services in Clayton, Georgia.

When to seek primary care

Primary care providers can diagnose and treat a range of ailments, including minor injuries and common illnesses. If Dr. Beck believes you would benefit from specialty care, he can provide appropriate referrals after your exam. 

As your primary physician, Dr. Beck can also help you stay on top of your basic and chronic health needs by monitoring and tracking your overall health.

Examples of primary care use include:

• Annual physicals
• Exams when you have mild concerns about symptoms such as headache, fever, or sore throat
• Health screenings, such as STI, blood pressure, and blood sugar tests
• Mild earaches 
• Mild to moderate headaches that recur or linger 
• Mild respiratory issues
• Minor injuries, such as burns, cuts, stress fractures, and sprains
• Preventative health measures, such as lifestyle counseling
• Skin conditions
• Vaccinations

When to go to urgent care

If you’re injured or sick and feel the need for prompt care, yet the situation doesn’t seem life-threatening, urgent care might be your best option. As a sort of midpoint between a routine checkup and an emergency room visit, you can get the care you need without waiting days or more for an appointment.

Examples of urgent care use include:

• Abscesses
• Burns
• Earaches with a fever
• Fever
• Fractures and sprains
• Infections
• Intense back pain
• Lacerations
• Rashes
• Severe cold and flu symptoms
• Stomach upset
• Urinary tract infections
• Vomiting or diarrhea

At Life Point Medical, we offer same-day and walk-in urgent care appointments. We also take online appointment requests. 

Established patients can meet with Dr. Beck by video call, during which he may be able to diagnose your symptoms and get you started on treatment without you needing to leave your home unless doing so seems medically necessary. 

Do you want to learn more about primary and urgent care? Are you interested in setting up an appointment? Contact Life Point Medical today. You can call us at 706-534-6566 or visit our website to request an appointment.