You may be wondering: Does the emergency room do STD testing? The short answer is: yes. However, urgent care may not be the best choice for annual or regular testing. Because the list of all STDs is a topic that people understandably prefer to avoid, it is important to choose the testing option that suits you best. Although most urgent care centers offer testing, there are certain situations when you may benefit from going to a testing center for STD testing.
STD testing in the emergency room
The main reason why people are more likely to go to the emergency room than to their doctor’s office is that they can usually walk into an urgent care center without the need for an appointment, making it seem like a faster alternative.
Going to an urgent care center can also free people from the embarrassment that can accompany a visit to the doctor. Some may prefer to have that conversation with a nurse or doctor they do not know.
Another reason someone might go to urgent care is if their insurance company covers emergency care visits. While this may seem like a cheaper alternative to clinics and testing centers that do not accept insurance, patients may not realize that they may have to pay additional testing fees or copays. It can be difficult to estimate in advance how much they will have to pay out of pocket or whether their insurance will cover STD testing at that specific laboratory.
STD testing at Priority STD Testing
Priority STD testing offers many of the same conveniences as emergency care, but guarantees personal, rapid and comprehensive STD testing in specialized laboratories.
With Priority STD Testing, you can make a same-day or next-day testing appointment online, be in and out of the testing center in 30 minutes, and have your results ready in just a few days. All our test prices are comparable to or cheaper than emergency care, without a long stay in the waiting room. After providing some basic information to a healthcare advisor online, all you have to do is show up for the test, provide the necessary samples and leave.
Most importantly, the entire testing process and your results remain private. Because Priority STD Testing does not accept insurance, there are no surprises about the cost of testing. In addition, because the tests are not processed through health insurance, the results or data are not reported to your insurance company and are not part of your personal health record.
If you have any questions about the testing process or your results, our trained healthcare counselors are available to provide advice, guidance and support to help you achieve sexual wellness.
When should you go to the emergency room instead of a testing center?
Although the testing experiences at the emergency room and a testing center like Priority STD Testing are similar in many ways, sometimes it’s better to go one place over the other. In general, it is best to go to the emergency room for situations that do not require an examination.
Situations that do not require testing are best suited for urgent care, as they are not equipped to provide rapid testing services and require samples to be sent to an outside laboratory. This can cause delays in results and may even result in hidden, surprise lab fees, depending on your insurance.
If you are already certain that you have contracted an STD, based on a partner’s positive status, an urgent care center may be able to provide same-day treatment. However, they usually need to be tested again before treatment can be given. Long lines at the clinic can also unnecessarily extend waiting times.
While it may be tempting to drive to your local emergency room to deal with possible STD symptoms, it’s best to come in for cases such as injuries, immunizations, or routine exams.
When should you go to a testing center instead?
Due to the often asymptomatic and sensitive nature of STDs, it is best to choose the most reliable testing option. In general, STD testing is best left to reliable online services that specialize in laboratory testing, such as Priority STD Testing.
Going to the emergency room for testing services may increase the wait time for other patients, incur unexpected lab costs, or extend the wait time for your results. However, specialist online services such as Priority STD Testing offer fast, personalized and detailed STD testing and peace of mind. Our prices are taken at face value and our testing is always performed by CLIA-certified and FDA-approved laboratories.
Find a lab near you and receive fast, personalized, and reliable STD testing services from us today.