When to Call 911
Medical Director Olivier Gherardi, DO emphasizes which symptoms warrant you calling 911 or visiting your closest emergency department.
Urgent Care or Emergency Department?
When urgent care isn’t enough, you should dial 911 or go to the emergency department for treatment.
When to Visit Urgent Care
Seek treatment at Brown University Health Urgent Care if your condition isn’t an emergency.
Visit the urgent care clinic for:
- Colds and flu
- Earaches and sinus infections
- Fractures and sprains
- Animal bites
- Cuts
- Stomach upset and diarrhea
- Urinary tract infections
- Sexually transmitted illnesses
- Burns
- Insect bites
If your symptom(s) are in the list above, visit Brown University Health Urgent Care now or make an appointment online. If they are not listed above, you may need to call 911 or visit your local hospital's emergency department instead.
When to Go to the Emergency Department
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for potentially life-threatening conditions.
Go to the emergency department for:
- Trouble breathing
- Stroke symptoms
- Heart attack symptoms
- Severe abdominal pain
- Chest pain
- Heavy bleeding
- Any other potentially life-threatening condition
If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident, go directly to the emergency department.