Knowing when to choose between urgent care or emergency room care can be a difficult decision for any mom, but even more so when you have a child who is suffering or seriously ill.
A few years ago, my oldest fell off the monkey bars at school. The sight of his visibly broken arm and his cries of pain were enough to render me nearly useless. I could barely sign my own name! Once we were in the car, I realized I didn’t even know what to do next. Should we go to urgent care? Or endure the long wait and distance of the local hospital emergency room?
It’s not a scenario any parent wants to envision! But, it’s nice to know in advance where to go when you have a child who is hurting. We ended up taking my son to the emergency room, which was absolutely the right decision. The emergency room is always the way to go when it comes to broken bones, lacerations, or allergic reactions. Urgent care is a great option when you can’t get an appointment at the doctor’s office for things like sore throats, or cough and cold symptoms.
Urgent Care Vs. Emergency Room
The Seacoast is fortunate to welcome an upgrade in our local healthcare offerings.
The Seabrook Emergency Room is a brand-new facility opening in June on Lafayette Road, at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 107. This conveniently located, state-of-the-art ER offers everything you would be able to access at a hospital emergency room — including exceptional healthcare 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A campus of Portsmouth Regional Hospital, the Seabrook ER will provide the same quality of care you would expect but with greater ease of access, like easy parking and shorter wait times.
We pride ourselves on being kid-friendly. We even provide separate waiting rooms for adults and children! Each patient is provided with the most comfortable space to alleviate any patient anxiety. We don’t expect you to wait for long, but while you are waiting, we want all of our patients to be as comfortable as possible.
Melissa Voisine, Director of Seabrook Emergency Room
The Seabrook Emergency Room offers access to full-service emergency care, including board-certified doctors and nurses on staff at all times. They also offer on-site laboratory services and diagnostic imaging, private treatment rooms, and even ambulance access. Wait times are always available online in real-time! The Seabrook ER will be able to offer Seacoast families ease-of-access and convenience that aren’t normally associated with emergency room visits.
Our goal is to have patients seen by a doctor within ten minutes of their arrival. Whether it’s from an illness – like a high fever or allergic reaction – or injuries such as broken bones or lacerations, we are here to offer patients and their families quality care in a comfortable setting.
Melissa Voisine, Director of Seabrook Emergency Room
Community Open House 
All are welcome! Tuesday, May 30 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
- Take a tour of the facility and meet the exceptional staff
- Fun activities for kids including face painting, photo booth, balloon animals, and an ambulance to climb aboard
- Enjoy live music and great, local food vendors
Now you know! Whether it’s 2 a.m. and the baby’s fever has spiked, or your little ninja has fallen and needs immediate treatment, it’s great to know there is a better option for great healthcare, without the hassle of parking and long wait times.
