When Should You Go to the Pharmacist vs. the Doctor vs. the ER?

What pharmacists are trained to handle

Pharmacists are doctorate level clinicians with extensive training in medications, OTC products, common symptom management, drug interactions, vaccinations, and certain point of care testing. In Mississippi, pharmacists can administer many vaccines without an appointment, perform certain screenings, provide medication counseling, and recommend OTC treatments for a range of common conditions.

What we cannot do: diagnose new conditions, prescribe medications (with limited exceptions for certain protocols), order most lab work, perform physical examinations of body systems, or manage acute medical emergencies.

When to start with a pharmacist

These situations are usually best addressed by your pharmacist first, often saving an unnecessary doctor visit or ER trip.

• Questions about how to take a prescription you have just been given.
• Choosing an OTC product for a common symptom (cold, allergies, mild pain, heartburn, occasional sleep difficulty, mild constipation, occasional nausea).
• Determining whether two medications interact.
• Determining whether an OTC product or supplement is appropriate alongside your current prescriptions.
• Questions about side effects you are experiencing on a current prescription.
• Refill timing, dose changes, and what to do about missed doses.
• Vaccinations including flu, COVID, shingles, pneumonia, Tdap, and others.
• Routine medication therapy management reviews.
• Choosing a supplement that fits your situation.
• Help disposing of unused medications.

When to see your doctor or clinic

Several situations are appropriate for a primary care visit rather than a pharmacy consultation.

• New or worsening symptoms that have not been evaluated.
• Persistent symptoms that have not responded to appropriate OTC treatment.
• Annual wellness exams and routine screenings.
• Management of chronic conditions including dose adjustments, lab work, and treatment changes.
• New prescriptions and prescription changes.
• Mental health symptoms that affect daily function.
• Injuries that may require imaging or stitches but are not emergencies.
• Skin lesions or rashes that have not been evaluated.

When to go to the ER

The ER is the right choice for true emergencies. Some of the situations that warrant immediate ER care:

• Chest pain or pressure, particularly with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or pain radiating to the arm or jaw.
• Sudden weakness, numbness, slurred speech, drooping face, vision changes, or balance problems (possible stroke symptoms).
• Severe difficulty breathing.
• Severe allergic reactions with throat tightness, difficulty breathing, or rapid swelling.
• Loss of consciousness or significant change in mental status.
• Severe abdominal pain.
• Severe headache, particularly the worst headache of your life.
• Major trauma or severe injury.
• Severe bleeding that does not stop.
• Seizures, particularly first time or prolonged.
• Suspected overdose.
• High fever in an infant under 3 months.
• Significant burns.
• Possible spine injury.
• Severe symptoms in pregnancy.

If you are not sure whether a symptom is an emergency, calling 911 or going to the ER is the safer choice.

Urgent care and walk in clinics

Urgent care fills the space between primary care and the ER. Appropriate for situations like minor injuries, suspected ear or sinus infections, suspected UTIs, sprains, mild lacerations, mild asthma exacerbations, and similar issues that need same day attention but are not emergencies. Urgent care typically costs less than ER and has shorter waits.

Mental health crisis

If you or someone with you is having thoughts of harming themselves or others, the appropriate response is not a pharmacy call. Call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Go to the nearest emergency room. Call 911 if there is immediate danger.

Where Fairview fits in the spectrum

Free, no appointment pharmacist consultations for any medication, OTC, or supplement question. Walk in or by phone. Serving Hattiesburg, the Pine Belt, Central Mississippi, and South Mississippi.

When to call a pharmacist (not the ER)

• A side effect from a new prescription that is bothersome but not severe.
• A question about an OTC product for a common symptom.
• Uncertainty about whether your symptoms warrant urgent care or a primary care visit.
• A missed dose question.
• A medication interaction question.
• A pregnancy or breastfeeding medication question.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Before starting or changing any medication, including over the counter products and supplements, talk with your pharmacist or physician about your specific situation.