If you’ve ever had the misfortune of going to the emergency room, you’ve probably noted that it’s quite crowded.
Sometimes this is an insurance issue, but more often than not, people simply don’t know that they should be using an urgent care facility instead.
In order to help out both patients and hospital workers, a Florida-based healthcare service called BayCare has put together a public service campaign to let people know the difference.
The roadside billboards are a lighthearted way to let people know that the emergency room is for potentially life-threatening conditions, while urgent care is for same-day care for more minor illnesses or injuries.
Of course, the cheapest alternative for truly minor illnesses is your primary care physician. But people who need help after hours, on weekends, or panic about needing same-day care often clog up emergency rooms, despite the high out-of-pocket costs and burden to the system.
The billboards are a collaboration between BayCare and New York-based creative communications company DeVito/Verdi who “created a campaign that would both differentiate the services and raise their profile.”
Of course, both companies want to be sure that people with serious symptoms don’t downplay them. They explained that sometimes the ER is the right place to go:
“If you are experiencing chest pain, fainting, loss of vision, shortness of breath or severe abdominal pain then the ER is the correct choice. These facilities are open 24/7 and have all the capabilities to handle any type of medical situation. If in doubt, choosing an ER is usually best.”
But the billboards show us that there’s a big difference between the two facilities and they do it with just enough humor to get people to think twice before they automatically head off to the ER.
The signs have been a hit among patients who truly didn’t know the difference and are grateful to have an explanation.
But they’re an even bigger success with hospital workers. Many of them commented on the Imgur post where the photos were uploaded with kudos:
It’s clear that plenty of people are misusing both facilities – it’s common for critically ill patients to head to urgent care when they should be in the ER.
But the billboards have also drawn criticism for what some say is an overly simplified explanation.
For example, this bee sting sign:
People allergic to bee stings can go into anaphylactic shock following a sting and they should be heading to the ER or calling 911.
Of course, there are some people who just downright abuse the whole medical system for their own gain.
No billboard is going to teach this person a lesson.
While many commenters have said insurance (or lack thereof) or the inability of urgent care to see them on the same day is what sends them to the ER, the billboards are simply meant to draw a distinction for those who don’t know they have another option.
And there are plenty of holes one can poke in the simplified comparisons. Yes, people can die of the flu, bee stings can be deadly, waiting to treat an infection with antibiotics can result in serious complications and even death. But no one is forcing people into one situation or the other – it’s still up to you where to seek care.
These clever signs are simply a way of helping patients make a more informed – and often more cost-effective – choice.
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