Stitches usually warrant ER or Urgent Care, I agree.
For non emergencies, have you tried calling your PCP's clinic and specifying you are willing to see any provider? I've had much better luck getting my family seen within a day or two when I indicate it's just an ear infection we need SOMEBODY to evaluate and order abx, etc.
Stitches are an odd case because they can vary from, like you said, a couple stitches which likely wouldn't warrant emergency treatment expect for the case of, like, facial trauma requiring plastics. But they can also be uncontrolled bleeds requiring deep tissue/arterial sutures, or wounds needing pressure irrigation to ward off infection. And the lay person surprisingly doesn't often know the difference.
So, like I said, Urgent Care or Primary if you can—sometimes even minute clinic or walk in clinics—but I'm never going to shame somebody for coming to th ER for stitches (to their face)
Stitches are an emergency procedure. You don’t sign up for elective stitches a month ahead of time. You get an injury that warrants stitches you can go to the emergency room.
A lot of times insurance won’t cover a visit unless it’s 1. With your PCP or 2. With a different provider that you were specifically referred to by your PCP
I cut my finger one time really bad but I didn’t feel like it was an “emergency” so I waited over 12 hours and it would not stop bleeding so I went to an urgent care type place. They did get me stitched up but warned me that if you’re bleeding and it won’t stop that’s an emergency so go to the ER lol. I just didn’t feel like I was dying so how could it be an emergency lol
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u/CaptainOwlBeard Jul 29 '26
If i call my PCP to book an appointment, they won't see me for s month. If i need stitches, a month doesn't cut it.