The Right Sites of Care: Know When to Go Where
Sponsored by Memorial Hermann
By Monica Vanover on April 3, 2025
When you’re suffering from severe pain or an injury, time is of the essence and should not be spent determining your health care options in the moment. This is why it’s important to know your choices in advance so you’re ready to act when the need arises. This month, Dr. Laura Moore, a primary care physician with Memorial Hermann Medical Group, talks about finding the right type of care for your injuries and illnesses.
Q: When is the best time to see your primary care physician in person?
Urgent care clinics are for those patients who need an intermediate level of care that lies somewhere between their family doctor and a trip to the emergency room."
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— Dr. Laura Moore
Memorial Hermann offers comprehensive care when it comes to treating all types of illnesses and injuries.
Dr. Laura Moore Primary Care Physician with Memorial Hermann Medical Group
routine checkups and exams because he or she would be aware of your medical history and what medications you take. It’s important to establish a relationship with a PCP who knows you, your body and your long-term health needs. They really should become your health partner. Their clinic is a place for you to receive preventive care, immunizations, blood work and screenings to help diagnose and manage a wide range of illnesses. They can treat you for coughs, sore throat, allergies, pink eye, a urinary tract infection, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. They also can help manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension and refer you to specialists when necessary.
Q: Virtual care became more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Can you tell us the best time to seek this type of care?
Dr. Moore: A virtual visit can be done over the phone or computer and is very convenient for patients. Doctors can see patients suffering with a cough, headache, allergies, muscle spasms, anxiety, or depression. It’s also a great option for following up on chronic conditions or changing doses on medications. We recommend you do virtual visits in your home when you feel it would be too difficult to come in person, or if you do not need the doctor to do an in-depth physical exam. If you need the doctor to listen to your lungs, look in your ear or throat, or examine a rash or strained muscle, this is not the type of visit for you. Make sure you have a fully charged laptop or phone with a good internet connection so the virtual visit will go as smoothly as possible. It is important to remember that even after you do a virtual visit, you still might have to see the doctor in person a few days later for further analysis and lab tests to determine a proper diagnosis.
Q: Urgent cares have been popping up everywhere in recent years. When is that the proper place to seek care?
Dr. Moore: Urgent care clinics are for those patients who need an intermediate level of care that lies somewhere between their family doctor and a trip to the emergency room. Urgent care can address nonemergency health needs, such as cuts requiring stitches, sprains, broken bones and back pain, as well as cold and flu symptoms and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Since such things also may be addressed by your PCP, your choice may depend on your PCP’s availability. Urgent care clinics often are open seven days a week with extended hours to treat injuries and illnesses that are not life-threatening but require prompt treatment before your usual doctor is able to see you. You should know that urgent care clinics are not designed for the full preventive or primary care you receive from your PCP, and they should not be used in cases of life-threatening conditions.
Q: Does Memorial Hermann offer all these levels of care? Dr. Moore: Memorial Hermann is the place to go for convenient and personalized health care in Greater Houston. Whether it be minor or serious health issues, we have a variety of care options for you and your family.
We have more than 30 Memorial Hermann-GoHealth Urgent Care centers, the largest urgent care network in the Greater Houston area, as well as primary care clinics and hospitals and Convenient Care Centers with 24-hour emergency rooms all over the city to take care of your health care needs.
For more information about health care options, please visit memorialhermann.org/the-right-care-pc.
Q: The emergency room is usually reserved for life-threatening conditions, but some people go there when they don’t need to. Can you shed some light on the right time to go to the ER?
Dr. Moore: Emergency rooms should only be chosen for real emergencies like a serious and/or life-threatening medical issue that requires immediate treatment, such as chest pain, sudden difficulty breathing, a deep cut or wound where bleeding won’t stop, a head injury, a major broken bone or a severe burn*. It’s important to head to the ER if you have one of these conditions and call 911 for an ambulance if you don’t have immediate access to transportation. Emergency care is always available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are not suffering from a life-threatening condition, you don’t want or need to go to the emergency room. ER visits often have a higher deductible and out-of-pocket cost, and there is usually a significant wait time for a minor ailment. Many health problems can be treated at primary care or urgent care less expensively and more conveniently. It’s important to leave the ER free so doctors and nurses can treat the most serious illnesses and injuries.
Dr. Moore: Primary care physicians (PCP) and clinics manage a variety of chronic and acute conditions. A PCP should be your first stop for