If you’re injured, sick, or in need of vaccinations, you may be debating between seeing your primary doctor, to going to the hospital. There is, however, a more convenient solution: Urgent care. These clinics provide a variety of services in a quick, professional manner. Urgent care clinics handle non-life-threatening situations that require rapid attention. This could include a mild sprain, minor burns, small cuts requiring stitches, covid testing, and much more. Besides the obvious help with your medical issue, there are five main benefits of utilizing urgent care centers.
1. There Are Thousands of Locations
There are over 8,000 urgent cares all across the United States, which means you should be able to locate and travel to an urgent care quickly, no matter where you are.
2. You’ll Get Rapid Service
According to the Urgent Care Association, 90% of all urgent care centers saw an average of 30 minutes wait times for patients to see healthcare providers. If you need to be seen by a doctor, you do not have to make an appointment as walk-in urgent cares are dominating the market, and can typically get you back out into the world in under an hour.
3. It’s Easy on Your Wallet
If you head to an emergency room, you most likely will leave with a medical bill in the thousands. Urgent Cares are significantly cheaper and accept most major insurance companies.
4. They Have Longer Hours
While not all urgent cares are open 24/7, many are, and those that aren’t often have hours that are extended into the evenings and on the weekends as well. When your primary doctor isn’t open and you need to be seen by a physician, an urgent care will be able to help out.
5. Urgent Care Handles a Variety of Services
Not only can an urgent care treat minor infections, burns, cuts, viruses, allergic reactions, and more, but they also offer many other services. X-rays, lab testing, prescriptions, screening, and physical exams can also take place on the premises.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, you should always call 911 immediately and get the help you need at a hospital. Severe allergic reactions, burns, or broken bones with exposed bone or excessive bleeding should all be treated as life-threatening. For those more common injuries and illnesses that require attention, walk into a Care Station Medical Group urgent care and get the quick, professional service you need!
