Sustaining an injury or feeling the sudden onset of sickness can be an alarming experience. In many instances, people instinctively seek out the emergency room as a vital provider of immediate care. However, according to a study from Mercer Human Resources Consulting, 35% of emergency room users were unaware that they had alternatives for care. When experiencing a change in health, knowing when to visit the emergency room, understanding care options and having access to other resources available can save an unnecessary and time-consuming trip.The number of hospital emergency departments has remained steady since 2001, while utilization has grown about 33% in the last decade. This means time spent at the emergency room is getting longer. The California Health Care Foundation report, whi
