With long emergency department wait times following the historic Blizzard, Brown University Health is sharing information on how individuals can best access needed care.
Urgent care centers provide treatment for the more common, day-to-day illnesses or injuries, for adults and children 18 months and older. Those include:
- ear infections, strep throats, and other upper respiratory infections such as colds and flu, bronchitis and pneumonia
- rashes, skin infections, insect bites or animal bites
- general problems such as fatigue and aches and pains – things that might not necessarily be “urgent” but still need dedicated attention
- testing symptomatic patients for COVID-19 or RSV
- physical injuries such as fractures, sprains or strains, or non-major lacerations
How to use
- Walk-ins welcome. You have a choice of walking in to be seen without an appointment. We have a kiosk for you to sign in and enter your information to streamline your visit, thus avoiding delay.
- Online scheduling. You can easily reserve an appointment online that fits your schedule. You can also enter your health information into our system so things can move more quickly when you arrive at the center.
- Prescriptions. If you need a prescription, it can be sent electronically to your pharmacy, to be ready for pick-up.
- Quick tests. Because our focus is on the patient experience, we have “quick tests” that we can do in our center to diagnose several conditions, such as strep throat, mononucleosis, pregnancy and urinary tract infections. We can also collect bloodwork and cultures that can then be sent out to the lab for further investigation when needed.
- X-rays. Our urgent care centers are able to perform X-rays right in your private examination room, so we are able to better diagnose your injury quickly and stabilize accordingly with the appropriate splint.
- Convenient hours. We are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. On weekends and holidays, we are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. We are closed only on Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. That means you can stop in before school or work, or at the end of your day.
Go to the Emergency Department for medical emergencies
Urgent care centers are not for serious injuries or illnesses, such as severe lacerations, heart attacks, strokes, or other life-threatening conditions. For that type of care, the services of an emergency department are much more appropriate and necessary. Patients who may be unstable or have suffered an accident or medical event that could be critical should always go to an emergency department or call 9-1-1.
To learn more about Brown University Health Urgent Care and when to visit urgent care vs. the emergency department, read this blog.