The Fidelis Care Blog

Whether you feel sick, need ongoing treatment, or want a checkup, it is important to know where to go for health care.

Doctor's Office: 

Go to your doctor’s office for regular health checks and preventive care. You can ask about new health concerns, general health questions, and talk about care for ongoing issues. Contact your doctor’s office when you need prescriptions or routine blood tests. Always make an appointment first and plan ahead.

It is important to have an ongoing doctor-patient relationship with a primary care provider (PCP) who knows you and your health. Visit your PCP at least once a year for a regular checkup, so your PCP can see any changes in your health and help you develop a plan that's right for you. See your PCP regularly if you have an ongoing health problem.

Urgent Care: 

Go to Urgent Care if your situation is not too serious and it cannot wait. This may include sprained ankles, small cuts, colds that get worse, or mild breathing troubles. Urgent Care can also do some quick tests, but usually does not have all the tests found at an Emergency Room at a hospital. 

Emergency Room (ER):

The ER at a hospital is for serious or life-threatening problems like severe chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, sudden weakness in an arm or leg, or slurred speech. You should also go to the ER for head injuries, broken bones, or severe bleeding. 

If you are not sure how serious your situation is, it is better to be safe than sorry. Ask a doctor or go to the nearest health care center. Remember, the ER is for life-threatening health problems. ER staff members must care for people with life-threatening health problems first, before caring for those with less serious health problems. Urgent Care or your doctor’s office is often a faster place to get care for less serious health problems.

Dr. Chouhdry is an Internal Medicine specialist and has served as a Medical Director with Fidelis Care for eight years.