Skip urgent care, Come to our ER!

[New2ER]

I have heard a radio ad in my area recently that made me livid. A local hospital has been advertising to increase the traffic flow to their ER. The commercial tells people to skip the local urgent care centers because they don't have emergency treatments, high tech equipment, aren't open 24 hours a day, etc. It encourages people to go to their ER for any and ALL problems. I think it even mentions going there for flu symptoms and stuff. The end says "If your minor emergency becomes major, we can handle it."

ERs are already packed to the brim with not enough staff. I could never understand why someone would show up to the ER at 3am for a stuffy nose or "the pimple on the back of my neck". These commercials are certainly not helping at all.

[BrokenRNheart]

Wow. That is all I can say. Use the ER for non-emergent issues.

Well, that should increase patient safety, huh?

[rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN]

Exactley, I agree with everyone here, Im gonna become a monk, lol.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

An urgent care center in my neighborhood just closed after being open less than a year. It wasn't getting enough business.

But go to my ER anytime of any day and it is packed!

This is why I advocate grant support to expand urgent care hours to 06-2200 hours daily. The urgent care center should be right next to the ER. Non emergent patients should be sent right across the street to urgent care.