Care Anytime You Need It
What happens when you have a bad cold or sprain your ankle—and your doctor’s office is closed? For minor illnesses and injuries, you don’t need to head to the emergency room.
Many primary care provider’s offices now have evening and weekend hours, so be sure to give them a call first in non-emergency situations. Even if they’re not open, most offices have a provider on call 24/7. They’ll help you decide if you should wait to receive care until the office is open or if you need to be seen right away.
If you don't need emergency care but need to be seen outside of your primary care provider's office hours, you can save time and money by using other choices available with your BCBSRI plan. The information below can help with your choice.
VIDEO CHAT WITH A DOCTOR $
Open 24/7
Many BCBSRI health plans include Doctors Online1, which lets you video chat 24/7 with a doctor on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Search “Drs. Online” from the Apple App Store or Google Play2 or visit drs-online.com.
Examples of illnesses and injuries treated
- Cough, sore throat, fever
- Flu
- Ear or sinus pain
- Bumps, cuts, scrapes
- Eye swelling, irritation, or pain
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- Back pain
- Sprain
- Mild asthma
RETAIL HEALTH CLINIC $
Usually open daily, including evenings
These walk-in clinics are staffed with medical professionals and provide help for minor sicknesses and injuries.
Examples of illnesses and injuries treated
- Cough, sore throat, fever
- Flu
- Ear or sinus pain
- Bumps, cuts, scrapes
- Eye swelling, irritation, or pain
URGENT CARE CENTER $$
Usually open daily, including evenings
These centers treat conditions that are serious but not life-threatening.
Examples of illnesses and injuries treated
- Cough, sore throat, fever
- Flu
- Ear or sinus pain
- Bumps, cuts, scrapes
- Eye swelling, irritation, or pain
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- Back pain
- Sprain
- Mild asthma
- Stitches
- Animal bite
- Burns
When to go to the emergency room
Call 911 or head to the emergency room right away if you feel your life is in serious jeopardy. Symptoms that are best evaluated in the emergency room include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Persistent chest pain
- Altered mental status or confusion, including suicidal thoughts
- Sudden, severe headache
- Deep cuts that require stitches or a large open wound that won’t stop bleeding
- Broken bones or dislocations
Information adapted from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The information provided herein is not medical advice and should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies.
1In the case of an emergency, you should always call 911. Doctors Online is not intended to replace these services and should not be used in those circumstances. Doctors Online is a telemedicine service provided by American Well®, an independent company that administers Doctors Online on behalf of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Not available with all plans.
2Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.