You can get an EKG and chest X-ray at several types of facilities, including urgent care clinics, hospital outpatient departments, freestanding imaging centers, and some primary care offices. The right option depends on whether you have a doctor’s order, how quickly you need results, and what you’re willing to pay.
Urgent Care Clinics
Urgent care centers are one of the most accessible options for getting both tests done in a single visit. Most are equipped with EKG machines and X-ray equipment on-site, which means you can walk in without an appointment and have both tests completed the same day. If you’re experiencing symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations, the provider on duty can evaluate you, order the tests, and interpret preliminary results before you leave.
Because an urgent care physician is seeing you, they can write the order for both tests on the spot. This eliminates the need for a separate referral. Turnaround is fast: EKG results are typically available within minutes, since the printout is read in real time. Chest X-ray images are also captured quickly, though a formal radiologist’s report may follow within one to two days.
Your Primary Care Doctor’s Office
Many primary care practices have EKG machines in-house and can perform that test during a routine visit. Chest X-rays are less common in a standard doctor’s office, but some larger practices or those affiliated with a health system do have X-ray capability. If your doctor’s office doesn’t have X-ray equipment, they’ll write you an order and send you to a nearby imaging center or hospital outpatient facility.
This route makes the most sense if you need these tests for something non-urgent, like preoperative clearance before a scheduled surgery, a new heart murmur your doctor heard during an exam, or follow-up on a chronic condition. Your doctor coordinates everything and reviews results in context with the rest of your medical history.
Freestanding Imaging Centers
Independent imaging centers (sometimes called radiology clinics or diagnostic imaging facilities) offer chest X-rays and, in many cases, EKGs. These centers tend to have shorter wait times than hospitals and often cost less. Some operate on a cash-pay model and post transparent pricing, which can be helpful if you’re uninsured or have a high-deductible plan.
Most imaging centers require a doctor’s order before they’ll perform the tests. State regulations vary on this point. Some direct-to-consumer imaging companies market services where you can self-refer, but even among those, many still require a brief consultation with a licensed provider to confirm eligibility. If you don’t already have an order, call ahead to ask whether the center can arrange one through a telehealth or on-site consultation.
Hospital Outpatient Departments
Hospitals with outpatient radiology and cardiology departments can perform both tests. This is often where your doctor will send you if they don’t have the equipment in their own office. Hospital-based testing tends to be more expensive than freestanding centers because you’ll pay a facility fee on top of the technical and professional charges. However, hospitals are widely available and almost always accept insurance.
If you go to the emergency room with acute symptoms, both an EKG and chest X-ray can be done within minutes. Emergency results are interpreted immediately rather than waiting the usual one to two days for a final radiology report. But an ER visit comes with significantly higher costs and is best reserved for situations where symptoms are severe or sudden.
What Each Test Actually Tells You
An EKG and a chest X-ray look at different things, which is why doctors often order them together. An EKG records your heart’s electrical activity through sticky electrode patches placed on your chest. It shows how fast your heart is beating, whether the rhythm is steady or irregular, and the strength and timing of electrical signals moving through each chamber. It’s the go-to test for detecting arrhythmias, signs of a prior heart attack, or abnormal heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation.
A chest X-ray captures an image of your heart, lungs, and surrounding structures. It can reveal an enlarged heart, fluid buildup in or around the lungs, pneumonia, collapsed lung tissue, or other structural abnormalities. Together, the two tests give a picture of both how your heart is functioning electrically and how it looks physically, along with the condition of your lungs.
Cost Without Insurance
If you’re paying out of pocket, expect to spend roughly $50 to $150 for an EKG at most facilities. Chest X-rays average around $280 nationally for a cash-pay patient, though prices vary widely depending on location and facility type. Freestanding imaging centers and urgent care clinics generally charge less than hospital outpatient departments.
With insurance, your costs depend on your plan. Medicare Part B covers EKGs as a diagnostic test when medically necessary, and also covers one screening EKG during your initial “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. After meeting your Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the approved amount. If the test is done at a hospital or hospital-owned clinic, you’ll also owe a hospital copayment. Most private insurance plans cover both tests when ordered by a provider for a documented medical reason.
How to Prepare
Neither test requires much preparation, but a few things can affect your results. For an EKG, you’ll be asked to remove clothing from the waist up (you’ll get a gown) and take off any jewelry or metal that could interfere with the electrodes. Avoid smoking or vigorous exercise right before the test, since both can alter your heart’s electrical readings. The test itself takes about 10 minutes and is completely painless.
For a chest X-ray, you’ll also need to remove jewelry, bras with underwire, and any clothing with metal snaps or zippers in the chest area. You’ll stand against the X-ray plate and be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds while the image is captured. The entire process takes about 15 minutes including positioning. If there’s any chance you’re pregnant, let the technician know before the X-ray.
Getting Your Results
EKG results are usually available immediately because the test produces a printout that can be read on the spot. If you’re at an urgent care or ER, the treating provider will typically go over the findings with you during the same visit. If your primary care doctor ordered it, they may call you the same day or at your next appointment.
Chest X-ray results take a bit longer. In an emergency setting, preliminary reads happen within minutes to hours. In non-emergency situations, expect final results within one to two days, as a radiologist needs to formally review and report on the images. Many health systems now post imaging results to an online patient portal, so you may be able to see the report before your doctor’s office calls.