Find the right care at the right time.

Find the right care at the right time. Find the right care at the right time.

Know Where to Go for Care

When you need medical care, you have a variety of options for seeking treatment from a provider. The best option can depend on the symptoms you’re experiencing and how quickly you need care.

Urgent or Walk-In Clinic

Urgent care or walk-in clinics help fill a vital gap when you become sick or injured, your regular doctor is not available and you can't wait for an appointment.

Examples include:

  • Body aches
  • Colds
  • Cough
  • Diarrhea
  • Earache
  • Fever below 104 degrees
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Minor burns
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Rash
  • Sore throat
  • Strains and sprains
  • Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Emergency Room (ER)

Certain medical conditions are considered emergencies because they require rapid or advanced treatments including surgery or care for life and limb-threatening situations.

Examples include:

  • Allergic reactions
  • Broken bones
  • Chest pain
  • Deep wounds
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Fever above 104 degrees
  • Head trauma
  • Heat illness
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Overdose
  • Seizure or numbness
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Shortness of breath

Did you know?

Many people use the ER as a place to receive care after hours for minor illnesses or injuries without realizing they have another option. Urgent care clinics include: 

  • Extended hours:  Urgent care clinics are usually open seven days a week and have extended evening hours.
  • Shorter wait times:  Most urgent care clinics have shorter wait times and can see you faster than the ER for minor conditions.
  • Cost-efficiency:  Urgent care visits usually cost a fraction of what emergency room visits do.

Still unsure of where to go?

Available 24/7, call My Sanford Nurse at (877) 473-1215 to have an experienced nurse assess your symptoms and tell you to visit either a clinic or the ER.

View our provider directory

Visit our provider directory to find a provider near you.

Align powered by Sanford Health Plan is a PPO with a Medicare contract.  Enrollment in Align powered by Sanford Health Plan depends on contract renewal. Align powered by Sanford Health Plan complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.  Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system.

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Last Updated On: 4.28.23 at 12:00 PM