An emergency is a situation where delay could seriously affect your health. Examples include severe pain, chest symptoms, breathing difficulty, major injury, heavy bleeding, suspected broken bones, sudden neurological symptoms, serious infection concerns, or anything that may require immediate hospital attention.
A non-emergency is still important, but usually safer to handle through a doctor, provider, telemedicine service, or regular support route. That can include mild cold symptoms, routine follow-up questions, stable minor skin issues, or basic requests for information.
The safest test is simple: if waiting is risky, treat it as urgent. If waiting a short time is safe and reasonable, it may be better handled through the normal support path.