Employers can reduce higher medial costs due to unnecessary employee ER visits by better educating employees about their options, according to a recent survey conducted by Evive Health and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

The survey reveals that 40 percent of employees had never used or were unfamiliar with urgent care facilities as an option. Non-UC users are more likely to believe that UC hours are limited, locations are inconvenient and facilities are not properly equipped with diagnostic equipment. Another 37 percent believe ERs offer better care. Still, among those who have been treated at a UC center, 63 percent say they would go to UC again.

"There is a giant disconnect between perception and reality in urgent care treatment," says Peter Saravis, CEO of Evive Health. "Many employees do not realize that cold and flu symptoms, nausea, cuts, sprains, fractures, chronic conditions like diabetes and other non-acute illnesses can and should be treated at urgent care to reduce costs and to leave ERs open for the true health emergencies, such as trauma, heart attacks and stroke."