Sometimes, we put off doctor’s visits — this is especially true when that doctor’s visit is only going to involve a simple checkup. But sometimes, you can’t put off going to see the doctor any longer. Maybe you really need to have a preventative vaccine; maybe you need to get stitches. While the E.R. may deal with extreme emergencies and small ones alike, routine exams and the administering of antibiotics would be more likely done at your doctor’s office. However, a lot of us don’t have time to go see our primary care physician at the drop of a hat — because that would involve a long wait in their office. Speaking of waiting, it’s possible that whatever your dealing with medically needs to be seen quickly; and in that case, you don’t want to have to make an appointment ahead of time. Urgent care centers marry the convenience of seeing your regular doctor with the advantages of an emergency room. ER and urgent care services really aren’t that different from each other. Obviously, in some cases an emergency may be too serious for an urgent care facility; in that case, your care provider won’t hesitate to refer you to an emergency room. With that being said, you should be able to have many of your major and minor medical needs taken care of at an urgent care center. The best in urgent care services provide timely primary medical care, as well as more serious treatments. Luckily, some urgent care centers are connected to emergency rooms, meaning that you don’t have to choose one over the other. Below, we’ll look at some of the advantages of visiting an urgent care center that is connected to an emergency room.
1. Urgent Care Services Are Cheaper
One of the major differences between ER and urgent care services is that of price. While some emergency room services are fairly reasonable, many are more expensive than patients expect. You go to the emergency room in a hurry, and don’t think about the bill until later. Emergency room bills tend to be higher because they’re done in a hurry, whereas urgent care is less costly. Usually, a case that could be treated at an urgent care center costs around $2,039 when treated at the emergency room. At an urgent care center, it would cost $226. Similarly, the reimbursement for a typical emergency room patient is $302, while an urgent care reimbursement is around $103 per patient. This is in part simply because urgent care center services may not be as costly for each patient. Still, in some cases you can’t avoid going to the emergency room; and when the two centers are housed under the same roof, you can easily be transferred to an emergency room.
2. Urgent Care Centers Have Shorter Waits
ER and urgent care services are often differentiated based on the differing wait times involved. Emergency rooms are notorious for their long wait times. While an extreme emergency requires immediate attention, a person who simply needs stitches might wait for hours before being seen. Comparatively, the wait time at an urgent care center is much shorter. It’s estimated that about 60% of urgent care patients are seen by a mid-level provider or physician within 15 minutes, while 65% of all urgent care centers have a physician on site at all times. On average, urgent care physicians see about 4.5 patients per hour. If a facility has both ER and urgent care services, the wait time will be even shorter.
3. Urgent Care Centers Provide A Variety Of Services
Obviously, in some circumstances urgent care centers can be alternatives to emergency room visits. In other cases, however, you can go to an urgent care center for your regular vaccines, as well as STD tests and prescriptions. The convenience of urgent care means that you don’t need to be treated under emergency circumstances. You can seek urgent care just because it’s easier!
