Living In USA

In most of the country the emergency number for ambulance, police, or fire is 9-1-1, but it is wise to check this locally, especially if you are far from large cities. If you do not know the emergency number, just dial "0" for the operator and tell him or her about your situation, but do not forget to give your address and telephone number. If you hang up without giving this critical information, you will have wasted precious moments while the operator tries to trace the call. If you can, go directly to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Emergency rooms are set up to deal with serious accidents and acute illnesses (such as a heart attack). It is a good idea to find out where this facility is located before you need it. They are equipped to respond quickly to life-threatening situations. However, calling 9-1-1 and requesting an ambulance may be the most prudent course.

Urgent Care
If you have an urgent medical concern that does not qualify as an emergency, the first step is to call your doctor. If you do not have a doctor — or if he or she is unavailable — go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Less serious illnesses and accidents, although they may occur without warning, are treated by family physicians and in walk-in clinics. Some hospitals also have an "express care" or "urgent care" service, separate from their emergency services. There are even urgent care or walk-in clinics, separate from hospitals, that may provide quicker treatment of many serious (but not life-threatening) medical conditions such as broken limbs or fevers. These tend to be less expensive than the emergency room and you will not likely have to wait too long, unlike an emergency room where more serious injuries are treated before minor ones.

Although health care is expensive in the United States, it is good and in most cases very thorough. People are referred to hospitals more often here than in many other countries. If this happens to you, be sure you understand from the doctor exactly what the reason is before you become worried. It often means only that the doctor wants to make use of special facilities for tests, X-rays, or treatment procedures, or wants to have you observed at frequent intervals over a period of days by a trained staff. It does not necessarily mean that the doctor thinks you are seriously ill.