Athlete is a term that can cover a very wide range of individuals.
Obviously, we all can identify with the professional athletes who are paid millions of dollars to play football and basketball, but an athlete is also the term used to identify college and high school team members, individuals who play tennis, golf, and run track. Even people who count their steps and make sure that they walk at least three miles a day can be considered in athlete.
Whether you are an athlete who gets paid for competing or you are an amateur who plays for the love of the sport, one of the most discouraging events can be an injury that keeps you from participating. In fact, if you are an athlete on any level, the chances are that you have had to visit a medical walk in clinic or some other kind of emergency care center.
Walk In Health Clinics Provide a Variety of Benefits
Anyone who suffers an injury is anxious for an opportunity to recover quickly. Unfortunately, in the past an athletic injury on the weekend or in the evening often translated into an expensive visit to a hospital emergency room. As the entire health care industry has moved toward more convenient and more affordable ways to provide the services that patients need.
Cost. One of the advantages to the walk in health clinics that many people turn to when they are injured is the affordable prices that are charges. Without the expensive overhead of an entire hospital emergency room, many quick care clinics are less expensive. The fact that many of these quick care health centers actually post the prices that they charge is comforting to many who fear the hidden charges that often accompany any hospital emergency room visit. Additionally, the majority of quick care health clinics also accept insurance cards, meaning that minimal copays are often all that is needed. Although there may have been a time when an injured athlete had no choice but to visit an expensive hospital emergency room, today’s offerings provide many more options.
Care. With as many as 20,000 physicians who practice Urgent Care Medicine today, the urgent care centers in America provide reliable and comprehensive care. In fact, as many as 80% of urgent cares even provide fracture care. The decision to get quality care in the evening or on the weekend is often preferable to waiting until a weekday appointment. Having doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals available to order x-rays, write prescriptions, and provide thorough examinations makes going to an urgent care setting a positive experience. For athletes, the opportunity to get reliable care as soon as possible often means that you will make your way back on the field or the court much sooner.
Convenience. Did you know that 85% of urgent care centers are open seven days a week? In addition, many are also open 24 hours a day. Although many families like to go to their family physician or pediatrician for regular checkups and required immunizations, these appointments are often difficult to schedule. With only a few patient slots left open for call in appointments on most days, the chance of getting in to see your regular doctor can be nearly impossible. Fortunately, the walk in schedule provided by urgent and quick care settings, however, allow you to travel straight from the playing field to the x-ray machine if needed. Knowing that you can get in right away can calm many anxious nerves if an injury happens at a late night Friday football game or an early morning Saturday contest. in the event of an illness, a diagnosis of a condition that can be treated by antibiotics will make it so the patient can get a jump on getting better.
In a time when an increasing number of individuals have access to health insurance coverage, it should not be surprising that the health care industry is working toward looking at other platforms that can provide affordable care in a convenient setting staffed by qualified providers. Where do you take yourself or your athlete when an unexpected sports injury occurs?
