Even for ER visits alone, it's not true that patients are "usually" incapacitated or on the verge of death. Something like a third aren't even urgent and only a small percentage are admitted to the hospital. And the most common reasons for visits are mostly pain complaints with a conscious patient. On average people get triaged to the waiting room to wait for 40 minutes or whatever.

There was a thread here a while back about something like an emergency-mode uber for replacing ambulances for most ER trips. Something similar might also be done for shopping for cheaper urgent care too perhaps. Say a clinic that is open late and will check out your scary rash/cough/pain without charging so much.