A sore throat on a Saturday night might leave you wondering: ‘Should I wait for my doctor, visit urgent care or head to the ER?’

Knowing where to go

“It can be extremely confusing and sometimes it's hard to know where to go for treatment, especially when there's so many options for care, including emergency centers, urgent care centers [and] primary care,” said Laura Hochwalt, VP of Emergency Services at St. David’s HealthCare. “Knowing where to turn during a medical emergency is extremely important for the community, because it [leads] to the best possible outcome and also ensures that they receive the best value for the care provided.”

Patients often ask whether physicians are available on site, Hochwalt said, adding that doctors are present not only at primary care offices, but also at urgent care centers and in emergency departments.

When to see your primary care provider

A primary care provider is typically the doctor you see regularly for non-urgent health concerns and routine medical care that isn't life-threatening.

• Preventive services, screenings, check-ups, vaccinations and tests
• Sore throat, cough or cold and flu symptoms
• Back or muscle pain
• Minor fevers
• Bumps, scratches or rashes
• Respiratory infections
• Chronic condition management: Ongoing care for conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or asthma.
• Non-urgent concerns: Issues that can wait for a scheduled appointment, such as mild skin conditions or long-standing health questions.
• Continuity of care: Coordinated management of your overall health, including referrals to specialists.

When to visit urgent care

Individuals should utilize urgent care when they need help over the weekend or after hours when your doctor's office isn't open for non-life threatening illnesses and injuries, or need a walk-in appointment for an immediate medical concern.

• Sprains, strains and minor fractures
• Cuts that may require stitches
• Pneumonia or cold and flu symptoms
• Non-emergency allergic reactions
• Minor burns

When to visit the emergency room

The ER should only be used in life-threatening situations. Visiting the ER when you could count on another care option will cost you money and time.

• Stroke-like symptoms
• Severe bleeding or traumatic injury
• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing
• Severe abdominal pain
• Dehydration
• Fracture, sprains and breaks
• Severe burns

Who’s providing the care?

No matter where an individual goes for care, they might be seen by either a medical doctor (MD) or a nurse practitioner (NP)—so what’s the difference?

• MD (Medical Doctor): Physicians who complete medical school and residency, can specialize and perform surgery, and prescribe medication.
• NP (Nurse Practitioner): Registered nurses with advanced degrees who can diagnose, treat, and prescribe—especially common in urgent care and primary care settings.

There is a growing trend toward NP programs becoming doctoral-level, which means they often take longer to complete and involve more advanced education, said Amy Papermaster, a licensed nurse practitioner at Women's Health, the partnership between Ascension Seton and UT Health Austin. Papermaster noted that in Texas, NPs must also collaborate with a physician.

“Basically that means we have a physician that's checking in on us and has agreed to be our collaborating physician for the purposes of our board. [They] do a certain amount of chart reviews and are available to answer questions,” she said. “... It's really nice to be able to have that collaboration so that ultimately we get the patients what they need, whether it's through me or seeing one of my physician colleagues.”

In most primary care clinics, patients won’t notice much difference between seeing a nurse practitioner and a physician, Papermaster said.

Nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications and manage a wide range of conditions—from preventive care and vaccinations to chronic issues like diabetes, hypertension, and mental health concerns. While they practice independently in many areas, there are some limitations, especially in states like Texas, where physician oversight may be required for prescribing certain high-risk medications or performing specific procedures.

“Where nurses are typically a little bit more or just generally trained, physicians tend to be more specialized in general... [NPs] tend to see kind of a whole patient, and try to treat a more broad variety of conditions.”

She also said that it is sometimes quicker to get seen by an NP.

“I think that the nurse practitioner can sometimes be a really great starting point in those instances. Even if you really will need to see a physician or have surgery or have [specialized] care, an NP can really be helpful in getting things going—talking with you, helping you get seen, expedite your care. ... So I would say it's not a prohibiting factor, and we can help move things along.”

In general, nurse practitioners start as registered nurses, typically completing a four-year program and earning a bachelor’s degree. Most nurse practitioner programs require at least two years of critical care experience in high-acuity settings such as the emergency room or intensive care unit.

Food for thought

“A lot of people that come into the ER really struggle with their primary care home. Some of these things that we're seeing them for, perhaps if we did more preventative care and proactive health maintenance in the primary care setting, we could prevent them from having the tertiary need to come into the ER," Papermaster said.