As Washington politicians continue to debate the current healthcare situation, millions of Americans continue to look for solutions to their daily health needs. From finding confidential STD testing to deciding between family care providers, Americans know that the health care choices that they make will impact not only their well being, but also the state of their finances. For those Americans who have access to affordable health care and low deductible payments, the decisions about when and where to get care may be less scary, but they are never easy. For the Americans who do not have health care, it is important that they make economical decisions even when they are facing daily health concerns. A growing number of Americans are looking toward their neighborhood health clinics for many of their needs.
Whether you are looking for affordable and confidential STD testing or you are in search of a place to get the yearly flu shots for your family, medical walk in clinics are often the best solution. Family health clinics are affordable, convenient, and reliable.
Confidential STD Testing Centers Provide Fast Answers
Whether you are a teenager who is looking for help or you are a grown adult, the fact that you can walk into a health clinic and get the answers that you need without an appointment is one advantage of the walk in clinic platform. Instead of having to call and wait days, and sometimes weeks, for an appointment, a walk in health clinic can provide immediate testing and fast answers. From confidential STD testing to pregnancy tests, people with and without insurance can likely afford the cost of visiting an urgent care facility. In fact, many of these clinics post their prices online, and some even post the prices for the most basic services in the waiting room.
Same day STD testing is just one of the offerings at walk in clinics. In fact, many of these centers also have x-ray technology onsite so that you can get find out if your foot is broken after that Friday night football game. Without having to make an appointment ahead of time, a walk in clinic provides the easiest access to getting the medical help that you need.
Future Health Care Settings Will Continue to Evolve
When more and more people get access to affordable health care, it should come as no surprise that the nation may soon face a shortage of health professionals. One study, in fact, shows that the U.S. will need nearly 52,000 more primary care physicians by the year 2025 to meet anticipated healthcare needs. And while this may be great news for those entering the health profession, it is not good news for today’s health consumer. In order to serve more patients in a more efficient manner, the health care industry may continue to grow the number of walk in clinics and other neighborhood health offerings.
Other predictions indicate that one stop health care centers will grow in popularity. In Omaha, Nebraska, for instance, a new health care offering allows patients to visit a primary care physician, a physical therapist, a pharmacist, and a mental health care provider all in the same building. With appointments coordinated between offices, patients no longer need to come back on several different occasions. Instead, they are able to schedule several appointments, including blood draws and other tests, on the same day. Even better, the health care specialists can collaborate on the best treatment plan because they are able to share patient information.
Having affordable and convenient access to health care can serve as a stepping stone to more and more Americans taking better care of themselves. Instead of waiting until a dire situation and visiting an expensive hospital emergency room, patients may be more likely to get the treatment that they need for both minor concerns and chronic problems.
Between 2003 and 2009, the mean ER wait time went up 25%, from 46.5 minutes to 58.1 minutes, and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey reports the average ER visitor pays total costs of $1,318 and a mean cost of $615. Too expensive and too time consuming for most Americans. As more Americans gain access to affordable health insurance, more people will step away from that pricey ER model.