Medical Emergencies and After Hours Care

Call an ambulance/911 or visit your local emergency room if you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following: choking; stopped breathing; head injury with passing out, fainting, or confusion; injury to neck or spine (especially if there is loss of feeling or inability to move); severe burn; chest pain or chest pressure; mental health emergency.

To locate a nearby hospitals and/or emergency room, search for these facility types on the internet. If you’re insured, it is recommended that you check with your health insurance for a list of in-network facilities near you.

Common Reasons to Visit

Emergency Room

Visit an Emergency Room or call an ambulance/911 if someone is experiencing the following:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Passing out, fainting
  • Severe pain in the arm or jaw
  • Suddenly not able to speak, see, walk, or move
  • Suddenly weak or drooping on one side of the body
  • Dizziness or weakness that does not go away
  • Inhaled smoke or poisonous fumes
  • Sudden confusion
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Possible broken bone, loss of movement, particularly if the bone is pushing through the skin
  • Deep wound
  • Serious burn
  • Coughing or throwing up blood
  • Severe pain anywhere on the body
  • Severe allergic reaction with trouble breathing, swelling, hives
  • High fever with headache and stiff neck
  • High fever that does not get better with medicine
  • Throwing up or diarrhea that does not stop
  • Poisoning or overdose of drug or alcohol
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Seizures

Urgent Care Facility

If you are not able to wait to see a clinician at SHS, visit an Urgent Care for help with the following:

  • Common illnesses (examples: colds, the flu, earaches, sore throats, migraines, low-grade fevers, and mild rashes)
  • Minor injuries (examples: sprains, back pain, minor cuts and burns, minor broken bones, or minor eye injuries
  • Minor allergic reaction
  • Bug bite/sting

Differences between an Urgent Care Facility and an Emergency Room

Cost

Typically, treatment will cost significantly less at an urgent care clinic when compared to an emergency room.

Wait Time

The wait time may be less at an urgent care, as they typically see patients on a first come, first served basis. Emergency Rooms will see patients in the order of their severity.

Services

While an urgent care facility and an ER can treat acute illnesses, only ER’s can address life-threatening conditions.

Availability

Urgent care clinics typically are not available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many urgent care clinics have weekend and extended hours, but ER’s are typically only available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

After Hours Medical Care

Follow the below recommendations in non-emergency situations when SHS is closed:

  • For general medical advice: call SHS Dial-A-Nurse to speak with a Registered Nurse regarding your symptoms. Dial-A-Nurse can be reached at (979) 458-8379. Most health insurance companies offer virtual visits for insured individuals. Students insured with the Texas A&M Student Health Insurance plan can utilize AcademicLiveCare. The service key is ALC. To obtain the coupon/access code, please contact Patient Services at patient-services@shs.tamu.edu.
  • If you are ill or injured and feel you need medical care: visit a local urgent care facility.
  • If you feel you are able to wait until SHS is open: schedule an appointment online or call (979) 458-8310 when SHS resumes normal business hours.

Community Healthcare Resources

Find community emergency rooms, hospitals, and urgent care facilities below. There are additional facilities available to you in the Bryan/College Station community. It is the patient's responsibility to determine insurance coverage and benefits.

Emergency Rooms + Hospitals

College Station

Bryan

*Available for mental health emergencies

Mental Health Emergency Care

Urgent Care Facilities

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