Johns Hopkins UniversityEst. 1876
America’s First Research University
POV: You’re not feeling great. Maybe your uncomfortable chronic condition is flaring up. Maybe you have a persistent cough that just won’t go away. Maybe you took a tumble, and something feels or looks Not Right.
You suspect you need some clinical help. There are multiple options if you want to “see a doctor,” but it can be hard to know which one is best, especially if you are already feeling crummy and aren’t in the best headspace to make decisions.
An additional complicating factor: it’s after the university’s Primary Care clinics have closed for the day.
Your options are:
How can you get the advice you need, in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible? We’re going to break it down for you.
TimelyCare offers unlimited, 24/7, on-demand service and support for common health issues in all U.S. states. (You can also schedule advance appointments.) Any degree-seeking student or trainee enrolled in a Hopkins program can use the service, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, post-doctoral fellows, and house staff.
What it’s best for: Minor or non-urgent health concerns that don’t require physical exams or lab tests.
Why it’s helpful: Convenient, quick, and accessible from anywhere (like a residence hall room). Great for managing minor conditions or getting medication refills without disrupting a busy schedule.
Some examples of when you might choose TimelyCare:
Cost: Free to any degree-seeking student or trainee enrolled in a Hopkins program.
How to access: timelycare.com/JHU
Urgent care clinics offer quick, non-emergency outpatient care for the treatment of acute and chronic illness and injury. You can schedule an appointment, but you can also walk into an urgent care clinic. Walk-ins may have to wait to see a health care provider, but it will almost certainly be less time than you’d wait to be seen in an emergency room.
What it’s best for: Situations when you need care quickly, but the situation is not an emergency.
Why it’s helpful: Usually urgent care clinics have extended hours, often including weekends, and are able to handle a wide range of issues with on-site labs or X-rays.
Some examples of when you might choose urgent care:
Cost: The cost will vary according to your insurance, the type of treatment you receive, and the individual location. A December 2024 Forbes article has some average costs for common urgent care treatments, ranging from $32 for a blood sugar test to $175 for strains, sprains, and joint pain treatments. It is almost always cheaper and faster to go to an urgent care clinic than it is to go to an ER for comparable issues.
How to access: You can call ahead or walk into urgent care centers. Visit this page for some options near JHU campuses.
Emergency rooms are exactly what the name says: clinical spaces for serious, potentially life-threatening emergencies.
What it’s best for: Situations in which you believe you need immediate attention for a potentially life-threatening emergency.
Why it’s helpful: The ER is equipped for the most critical health issues and has immediate access to specialists, advanced diagnostics, and life-saving equipment.
Some examples of when you might choose urgent care:
Cost: The cost will vary according to your insurance, the type of treatment you receive, and the individual location. Per September 2024 data from the Department of Health and Human Services, the average cost of a treat-and-release ER visit was $750. An emergency room visit is almost always the most expensive option for treatment. That said, there are some things that can only be treated appropriately in an ER and in life-threatening situations cost should not be a concern.
How to access: Call 911 or walk into the closest emergency room. Visit this page for some options near JHU campuses.
The TL;DR version: For most common medical issues university students face (colds, infections, stress-related issues, minor injuries), telehealth and urgent care are usually sufficient. The ER should be reserved for serious symptoms or emergencies.
These videos from Wellfleet Insurance can also help to inform your decisions about where to seek care.