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What emergency departments can do that urgent cares can't
Summary
Dr. Patrick Rogers outlines ED equipment and services not universally available at urgent care centers — 24/7 X‑ray, CT and ultrasound, continuous cardiac and oxygen monitoring, and access to on‑call subspecialists for definitive inpatient treatment.
Rogers told the Think Old Bridge audience that emergency departments have continuous monitoring and around‑the‑clock advanced imaging that many urgent care centers do not.
"Here in the emergency department, we have x-ray available 24 7. We also have CAT scan imaging available 247 ... And we also have ultrasound available 24 7," Rogers said, listing capabilities EDs keep on hand to diagnose and treat more serious pathology such as blood clots or pregnancy complications.
He stressed the ED's ability to both image and provide definitive care — including admission and procedures — that urgent cares typically cannot. That difference, he said, explains why certain complaints should go straight to the ED rather than to an urgent care setting.
