Author(s): Jessica Jue, University of Washington School of Medicine

Date Authored: September 22, 2022

The American Health System is complicated. This fact sheet was produced to guide patients to where they can see a doctor. It describes the differences between a Primary Care Clinic, a Specialty Clinic, the Emergency Room, and In-Patient Care and when it is appropriate to use each service. The goal of this resource is to help improve health literacy for English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese speaking patients.

photo by Online Marketing (cc license)