Emergency and urgent care: not the same thing Published Nov. 20, 2009 By Stanley McGill 1st SOMDSS HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Is it a sprain or a break? Is a child's fever holding steady, or has it gone up since it was last checked? The first priority during an illness or injury is always to get help, but it's important to be aware of the differences between emergency and urgent care. TRICARE defines an emergency as a medical, maternity or psychiatric condition that a "prudent layperson"--someone with an average knowledge of health and medicine--believes could threaten life, limb or eyesight without immediate treatment. If a person feels the situation requires immediate medical treatment, or there are painful symptoms requiring immediate attention to relieve suffering, the situation is an emergency. Examples of emergency situations include the following: severe bleeding, chest pain, no pulse, inability to breathe, head, spinal cord or back injury, severe eye injuries and broken bones. In an emergency, the person should go to or be taken to the nearest emergency room for treatment. The primary care manager or Humana Military should be contacted within 24 hours so ongoing care can be coordinated. An urgent condition is an illness or injury that won't cause further disability or death if not treated immediately, but requires professional attention to prevent it from developing into a greater threat. An urgent condition is serious enough that it may worsen or cause unnecessary suffering if not treated right away. Examples of urgent care situations include the following: minor lacerations, urinary tract infections, earaches, migraine headaches, sprains and rising fever. Urgent care is typically provided by the PCM. For those enrolled in TRICARE Prime, urgent care must be coordinated with and authorized by the PCM before it is delivered. If not, it is covered under TRICARE Prime's Point-of-service option, which includes additional cost-shares and a deductible. For additional information, call the 1st Special Operations Medical Group health benefits advisor at 881-5177 or Humana Military at 1-800-444-5445.