What warrants an ER visit?
Asked by: Trudie Borer | Last update: November 13, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (27 votes)
What symptoms warrant an ER visit?
Most fevers don't require emergency care. However, if they match any of the following criteria, call 911 or head to the nearest ER: Accompanied by other severe symptoms (e.g., racing heartbeat, stiff neck, rash, trouble urinating, swollen legs, weakness, fainting, diarrhea and/or vomiting)
What is a valid reason to go to the ER?
If it's a life-threatening emergency, call 911 so first responders can provide care right away. Emergency departments are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some symptoms or health issues that may need an ER visit include: Chest pain or difficulty breathing. Weakness or numbness on one side of the body.
What constitutes an ER visit?
Conditions that should be treated in the emergency room include: Stroke. Heart attack. Brain or spinal injury, or injuries that could could cause disability or death.
What is the most common cause of ER visits?
1. Abdominal pain. One of the top reasons people visit the ER is abdominal pain.
What To Expect When You Visit The ER
What gets seen first in ER?
After checking in at the Registration Desk, the triage nurse will check your condition. People with a life-threatening illness or injury (heart attack, stroke, etc.) are treated before those with less serious conditions. Rest assured that you will be seen as soon as possible.
What symptoms will get you admitted to the hospital?
- Trouble breathing.
- Passing out, fainting.
- Pain in the arm or jaw.
- Unusual or bad headache, particularly if it started suddenly.
- Dizziness or weakness that does not go away.
- Inhaled smoke or poisonous fumes.
- Sudden confusion.
How to get admitted to the ER?
- The doctor may dictate them to the emergency department or unit nurse.
- The doctor may come in personally to write them.
- Rarely, an emergency department physician will write your admitting orders.
Can insurance deny my ER visit?
According to section 1371.4 of the California Health and Safety Code, coverage of ER visits can only be denied if it is shown the patient “did not require emergency services care and the enrollee reasonably should have known that an emergency did not exist.” The California rule does not rely on a fictitious “prudent ...
What classifies as an emergency appointment?
Urgent care – for an illness or injury that needs attention quickly but is not life-threatening. Emergency care – treatment for life-threatening conditions or injuries, which need treatment as soon as possible.
How can I avoid ER visits?
By taking preventive steps such as annual checkups, medical screenings and staying up to date on vaccines, patients with non-emergent medical conditions can avoid a trip to the emergency department.
What is an excuse for an emergency?
Things You Should Know. Make an excuse that someone in your family is ill, injured, or been in an accident. Or, say you can't find childcare or need to take a relative to an appointment. Alternatively, say there's been a household emergency, like a burst pipe, gas leak, or break-in.
What to say to get seen faster in an emergency room?
Be specific: Describe your symptoms in detail. Instead of saying “I feel sick,” explain the specific symptoms you are experiencing, such as nausea, dizziness, or chest pain. This will help the medical staff understand the urgency of your situation. Use descriptive language: Paint a vivid picture of your symptoms.
How do hospitals know if you have a warrant?
Hospitals do not have the ability to check if you have a warrant or not. They can call police and ask them. But the job of the hospital staff is to provide you care.
What requires immediate medical attention?
Confusion or changes in mental status or unusual behavior. Any sudden or severe pain. Uncontrolled bleeding. Severe vomiting or diarrhea, or vomiting or diarrhea that doesn't stop.
What warrants a state of emergency?
Traditionally states have a general statute that permits the governor to declare a state of emergency for any type of emergency or natural disaster, which can be construed broadly to include disease epidemics and other public health emergencies.
What is a dirty claim?
The term dirty claim refers to the “claim submitted with errors or one that requires manual processing to resolve problems or is rejected for payment”.
Can the ER refuse to see you?
You have these protections:
The law that gives everyone in the U.S. these protections is the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, also known as "EMTALA." This law helps prevent any hospital emergency department that receives Medicare funds (which includes most U.S. hospitals) from refusing to treat patients.
What happens if I go to the ER without insurance?
Despite the financial hurdles, uninsured emergency patients are provided with legal safeguards. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) is a federal law that requires anyone coming to an emergency department to be stabilized and treated, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
What are the criteria for ER admission?
An emergency admission occurs when a patient has a life-threatening injury or illness that requires immediate medical attention. Common examples are heart attack, stroke and extreme trauma or blood loss.
What is the most common ER admission?
When it comes to injuries, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, falls are the most common cause of injury-related emergency department visits, making up one-third of the 26.5 million total injury visits. Other top reasons include impact injuries, crashes, cuts, overexerction and bites/stings.
Can I just walk into an ER?
And, in a doctor's office, patients usually receive personalized service due to an established working relationship. You do not need an appointment to go to the ER, but you may have to wait if other patients have more pressing medical needs.
How to get ER to admit you?
ER physicians do not have admitting privileges. If they feel a patient warrants admission they call the attending of the service “on call” for the day, and discuss the patient. ER staff may write a few orders until the attending arrives to fully assess the patient's problem.
Which of the following symptoms would warrant seeking immediate medical care?
- Bleeding that will not stop.
- Breathing problems (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath)
- Change in mental status (such as unusual behavior, confusion, difficulty arousing)
- Chest pain or discomfort lasting for two minutes or more.
- Choking.
- Coughing up or vomiting blood.
What qualifies as a medical emergency?
Emergency scenarios may include difficulty breathing, choking, chest pain, heart attacks, unconsciousness, allergic reactions, low or high blood sugar levels, uncontrollable or profuse bleeding, heat exhaustion or stroke, seizures, fall from a significant height, significant trauma, and many other scenarios.