Have you ever had to see a medical professional outside of normal doctor’s office hours? If you’ve needed this after hour care, there’s a good chance that you ended up at a hospital emergency room. While emergency rooms are necessary for taking care of life-threatening conditions, sometimes they aren’t what we need for milder incidents. As a result, we end up spending a lot of time waiting, and with or without insurance, we’re also likely to end up with a high priced bill by the time we leave the ER. However, for individuals with non-life-threatening conditions, there is another option that is faster and lower cost than the emergency room: visiting an urgent care clinic.
There are several times when emergency clinics come in handy for patients of all ages. If you’re wondering when it’s acceptable to visit an urgent care center, here are some situations that apply to their patients.
Visit an urgent care center…
1. If you’re sick: If you have a condition that is non-life threatening, such as a cold, allergies, or another mild illness, check out your local clinic. Sometimes visiting a primary care physician can mean waiting days or weeks for an appointment. Going to a clinic instead can save a lot of time and put you on the path to recovery sooner.
2. If you’re injured: If you have a broken bone or a cut that requires stitches, you might be able to visit an emergency clinic to get immediate care. These injuries can become even more painful if you’re forced to wait in a hospital. Visiting a clinic can get you taken care of ASAP.
3. If you need a checkup: Whether you need an occupational health exam for work or it’s been a while since your last physical, you can get the care you need in an urgent care facility. Because it can take many months before your doctor can see you for a routine physical, visiting a clinic instead can save you time. This is especially advantageous for those require physicals for school or work.
4. If you need any medical testing: If you need an X-ray, CT scan, or mammogram, or if you need blood testing done, many clinics can accommodate patients who need these procedures right in their facilities. This saves you time, so you don’t have to go to more than one place for your treatment. For example, if you go to a clinic with a sprain or broken bone, you can get an X-ray right there in many cases.
Wondering more about urgent care facilities? Be sure to find one in your area and see what services they can offer you. More research here: Urgent care clinic san antonio texas
