Sprained ankle, X-ray, boot
Emergency department
- Facility fee $1,450
- Provider fee $390
- Radiology $310
- Boot and supplies $160
$2,310
QuickCare
- Visit $139
- Two-view ankle series $109
- Walking boot $89
$337
A decision people get wrong in both directions
Urgent care or the emergency department?
Going to an emergency department with a sore throat costs you four hours and a four-figure bill. Coming to us with chest pain costs you something far worse. Here is the line between the two.
Always call 911, or go straight to an emergency department, for:
- Chest pain or pressure, especially spreading to the arm, jaw or back
- Sudden face droop, arm weakness or slurred speech: act FAST and call 911
- Trouble breathing, or being unable to speak a full sentence
- Heavy bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure
- A seizure, fainting, or new confusion
- Severe abdominal pain, or vomiting blood
- A head injury with vomiting, drowsiness or anticoagulant use
- Thoughts of harming yourself: call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
QuickCare is an urgent care clinic. We do not treat life-threatening emergencies, and we will call an ambulance for you if you arrive with one.
The comparison in full
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| What is going on | Emergency departmentCall 911 or go now | QuickCare urgent careWalk in or save your spot | Primary careYour regular clinician | Virtual visitVideo from home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest pain, stroke signs, heavy bleeding | Yes, immediately | No, we will call 911 for you | No | No |
| Cut that needs stitches | If deep or involving tendon | Yes, most cuts | Rarely | No |
| Possible broken wrist or ankle | If deformed or open | Yes, X-ray on site | Referral only | No |
| Sore throat, sinus pain, ear pain | Not appropriate | Yes, same visit testing | Yes, if you can get in | Often |
| Urinary tract infection | Only with fever and flank pain | Yes | Yes | Uncomplicated cases |
| Rash or insect bite | Only with breathing trouble | Yes | Yes | Often |
| Sports or DOT physical | No | Yes, walk in | Yes, by appointment | No |
| Typical wait | 2 to 6 hours (sample) | 11 to 34 minutes (sample) | Days to weeks | Under 20 minutes |
| Typical self-pay cost | $1,200 to $3,000 (sample) | $139 to $325 (sample) | $120 to $250 (sample) | $59 (sample) |
| Open evenings and weekends | Always | Yes, until 8 pm | Rarely | Yes, 8 am to 8 pm |
Three worked sample bills
The facility fee is what makes the difference. A hospital emergency department charges one simply for opening the door, before anyone has examined you. Urgent care here is billed as an office visit.
Four-centimetre forearm cut, sutures, tetanus
Emergency department
- Facility fee $1,450
- Provider fee $420
- Repair tray and supplies $240
- Td booster $120
$2,230
QuickCare
- Laceration repair up to 5 cm $259
- Td booster $79
$338
Sore throat, rapid strep, antibiotic
Emergency department
- Facility fee $1,450
- Provider fee $290
- Rapid strep $95
$1,835
QuickCare
- Illness visit $139
- Rapid strep $29
$168
All figures are sample figures written for this demo site.
Where we stop
We do not treat chest pain that could be cardiac, stroke symptoms, severe bleeding, trouble breathing, a seizure, a significant head injury, severe abdominal pain, pregnancy complications, or anything needing CT, MRI, continuous monitoring or admission.
If you arrive with one of those, we stabilise what we can, call an ambulance rather than let you drive, and send our findings with you. Nobody is penalised for choosing wrong. Choosing wrong in the other direction, sitting at home because an emergency department felt like an overreaction, is the one that hurts people.
General information only, not medical advice. It cannot replace an examination, and it does not create a provider and patient relationship. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.
If it needs attention today, start here
And if it turns out to need more than we have, we will tell you in the first ten minutes and call ahead.