Going to the emergency room has become a trend in the United States. More and more people are heading to emergency rooms rather than urgent cares or general physician visits.

Emergency room (ER) visits in 2003 rose to 114 million, up from 89.8 million in 1992, a 27 percent increase.  According to the CDC in 2003, about 13 percent of those 114 million emergency department visits were considered non-urgent.

The Realities of the ER

ER’s are set up as a triage, meaning patients are prioritized from most ill to least ill.  Patients who have life threatening injuries or illnesses are treated first, while others who have minor injuries or illnesses have to wait.  According to the CDC, patients in 2001 on average waited 3 hours in the emergency department from arrival to discharge. Some waited more than 24 hours.

When you are ill or don’t feel up to par, the last thing you want to do is sit and wait for treatment.  So, the question remains how do you know when you should go to the ER?

To read more about the signs of serious illnesses and using your best judgment before heading to the ER, click here.

BET Health News - We go beyond the music and entertainment world to bring you important medical information and health-related tips of special relevance to Blacks in the U.S. and around the world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. 

(Photo: The Plain Dealer/Landov)