Las Vegans finding themselves in the need of a doctor's services in the wee hours of the morning will find that their choices are few and far between. There are currently only three choices for 24-hour medical care: two clinics and your local emergency room. Either can lead to long waits when one is not feeling one's best already, as life-threatening injuries take precedence over a sore throat.

"If the public were better educated, the ERs wouldn't be so crowded," said Dr. Sam Kaufman, chief executive officer and managing director of Desert Springs Hospital, 2075 E. Flamingo Road. "The ERs are particularly crowded January, February and even into March, when there are more upper-respiratory complaints. The ER shouldn't be used as an urgent care or primary care physician."