Nearly 1,800 people go to the emergency room every single day in Oklahoma, that has been according to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority statistics for 2022, but, is that where they should be going or would it be better for them to visit an Urgent Care Center instead?
Haley Wilson, 7News’ Medwatch Reporter, spoke with a local medical provider at Lawton Community Health Center’s Rapid Access to learn when people should visit their Rapid Access over the ER.
Dylan Winters, an advanced practice registered nurse, says they can take care of a lot of illnesses at Rapid Access such as upper respiratory infections. They can also help with some broken bones.
“Where urgent care vs. ER differs, ER is very good for people who are very, very sick,” Winters said. “They have a lot of comorbidities like COPD, hypertension, diabetes, those kinds of complicating illnesses.”
Winters says people experiencing severe abdominal pain, trauma, and bleeding that can’t be stopped should also go to the ER over an urgent care clinic. When asked where someone should go if they cut their finger and it needed to get stitches, he said to see him.
“I can take care of that,” Winters said. “Now, if you cut your finger off, please go to the ER.”
Winters enjoys taking care of patients at their clinic. He said that was actually where he started almost five years ago and went back to after being a primary care provider.
“I just seem to like this better,” Winters continued. “I seem to like the speed better, and I like the in-and-out kind of vibe that urgent care gives. So, I’m just kind of drawn to it.”
While patients can spend hours in the emergency room, he said he can see people and treat them in roughly 30 minutes.
“90% of the illnesses that present on a daily basis can be treated here,” Winters said. “Now, I can always direct you to the ER if it is necessary, but 90% can be treated here.”
CCMH has two Rapid Access clinics in Lawton. One they just opened at their main Lawton Community Health Center on Lee Blvd. and another just off 38th and Gore Blvd.
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