Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Manatee Memorial Hospital hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on June 17, 2022, to celebrate the construction of a new freestanding emergency department – the ER at Bayshore Gardens. The new ER will expand access to emergency care 24-hours a day, seven days a week in Manatee County, and will be located at 5506 14th Street West, Bradenton, Florida, 34207. The new facility is expected to open in Q1 of 2023.
When it opens, the ER at Bayshore Gardens will provide care for all ages and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Always staffed by a physician
• Six (6) exam rooms
• Three (3) rapid medical exam spaces
• 10,884 square feet
• Full-service laboratory, X-ray, CT and ultrasound
Free-standing emergency rooms are popping up here and there around the country. Many people confuse them with urgent care centers, but there is a difference. Let’s look at how an urgent care center and an emergency room differ, and which one is right for your situation.
Here are a few differences between Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care clinics as outlined by The Mayo Clinic:1
Severity of health problems
An ER treats life- or limb-threatening health conditions in people of all ages. It is the best option when you require immediate medical attention.
Urgent Care is the middle ground between your primary care provider and the Emergency Room. If you have a minor illness or injury that can’t wait until tomorrow, Urgent Care is the way to go. Also, it is a good option if you have illnesses or injuries without other symptoms, or if you do not have other underlying health conditions. For example, an earache can easily be treated in Urgent Care. However, if it is accompanied by a high fever (104 F or higher), or you have a history of cancer or are on immune-suppressing medication, it is important to have it checked out in the ER.
Hours and staff
Emergency Rooms are staffed 24/7 with physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses trained in delivering emergency care. The team has quick access to expert providers in advanced specialties such as Cardiology, Neurology and Orthopedics. ERs also have the imaging and laboratory resources needed to diagnose and deliver care for severe and life-threatening situations.
Typically, Urgent Care clinics are staffed with physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses. Although, some Urgent Care clinics have physicians on staff as well. Urgent Care providers can order basic labs and imaging tests, such as X-rays, to help them provide diagnoses and develop treatment plans. Urgent Care clinics have set hours and an established list of conditions treated. As a result, Urgent Care clinics often are less expensive and have shorter wait times than Emergency Departments.
Here are examples of types of conditions treated in Urgent Care clinics and Emergency Rooms:
Urgent Care clinic:
• Back or muscle pain
• Bronchitis
• Cuts and minor burns
• Diarrhea
• Earache
• Skin conditions
• Sprains or joint pain
• Upper respiratory infection
• Urinary tract infections
• Vomiting
Emergency Room:
• Chest pain or pressure
• Compound fracture (bone that protrudes through the skin)
• Head injuries
• Pneumonia
• Seizures
• Severe abdominal pain
• Shortness of breath
• Sudden, severe headache, or paralysis or weakness
• Uncontrolled bleeding
Manatee ER
5506 14th Street West,
Bradenton, Florida 34207
1. Graham King, M.D. (2021) Emergency vs. urgent care: Differences, Mayo
Clinic Health System. Mayo Clinic Health System. Available at:
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-
health/emergency-vs-urgent-care-whats-the-difference.
