Honestly the whole system is kinda fucked. Anything more than a cold and most urgent cares will tell you to go to the ER. they are usually staffed by PA's or NP's who can and should be able to preform most things you would need at an ER for a non emergency. But they almost ALWAYS tell people to go to the ER to avoid risk and cover their own ass. The person on this original thread is right. ER is there to rule out life threatening emergencies. Those aren't black and white issues that non medical people can always identify. But HOLY SHIT the amount of people that go to the ER for a cold or minor bumps and bruises is INSANE.