(Newswire.net — May 1, 2020) — It never fails — right at the busiest time is when little ones seem to develop stubborn fevers, or decide to practice their high jumps, and all the other mishaps. That used to mean an after-hours trip to the emergency room to get the kids checked out and receive the care they need.
Fortunately a better way, and a far less expensive way, has grown for busy moms and dads to get prompt care for their child (or themselves) during evening and weekend hours, with very short or no wait times, and walk-ins welcome.
Urgent care centers have been popping up everywhere to cater to the needs of working parents at an affordable cost. Different from emergency rooms, and different even from doctor offices – since many urgent cares use highly qualified Mid-Level Providers as the front line of diagnosis – these facilities allow patients to walk right in and see a medical professional who can treat a wide variety of injuries and ailments.
Here are some of the benefits that patients increasingly see from urgent care centers.
Convenient Evening and Weekend Hours
Unlike the healthcare systems we’ve been used to, urgent care centers remain open late into the evening and on weekends. By keeping their doors open for longer, they serve as a convenient place to take kids and adults in need of prompt medical care. Without these centers, the only other option is to go to the emergency room, which can take hours and comes with a hefty price tag.
Walk-Ins Welcome Anytime of the Day
Although appointments are always the best way to proceed, urgent care centers also welcome walk-ins. This way, as soon as an injury occurs, or as symptoms develop, parents can rush their kids out the door to get attention. A walk-in visit or a convenient appointment -often booked online – is also great for those surprise sports physicals for the teens raring to join the school team. Or for when you want to get flu vaccinations out of the way before anyone has the chance to get sick.
Low Wait Times Even Without an Appointment
Urgent care centers use efficient yet thorough procedures designed to keep wait times low even for walk-in patients. While emergency rooms and busy medical offices can eat up most of the day, visits to urgent cares tend to take an hour or less out of your day. In fact, most visits take just 30 minutes from the time you walk in the door to the moment you get in the car to leave. Despite the speed of service, urgent cares offer the same level of individualized care to their patients.
Treatment for Many Illnesses and Injuries
Urgent care centers go beyond the band-aid with capability to diagnose and treat a wide variety of health conditions, including:
- Cold and flu
- Strep throat
- Earaches
- Asthma
- Pink eye
- Allergies
- Bladder infections
- Headaches
- Ringworm
Most urgent care centers can treat a wide range of physical injuries, including sprains, bone fractures, and lacerations. To figure out if it is a sprain or broken bone, the facility can perform x-rays to make an accurate diagnosis. They can also splint the area to allow it to heal. Deep cuts or other lacerations can be treated to stop the bleeding, to put in stitches, and to bandage up the area all with just a quick visit.
Costs Less than Emergency Room Visits
Even for minor illnesses and injuries, emergency room visits are very expensive. On average, patients can expect a bill totaling well over $1,300 and the costs are rising year after year. In the past 10 years, the cost of ER visits has increased by 176 percent with no signs of stopping. Even if you have insurance, your deductibles can be larger than a simple visit to a non-emergency facility. Visiting an urgent care center for conditions that are not life-threatening can save you a lot of money since they are up to 10 times less expensive than ERs.
Evolving Approach to Protect You from COVID-19
As COVID-19 reminds us of the recurring risk of viral infection, and changes our way of life, urgent care centers are putting smart measures in place to protect their patients. They are bringing HIPAA-compliant telemedicine visits onboard, for example, to provide remote consultation with medical providers. With this approach, you can meet with a medical professional through an app on your phone, tablet, or computer without leaving the comfort, and safety, of your home.
Visits to the facility can often now be scheduled online, with the protocol of texting from your car when you arrive, and then being led inside for a private visit – no more waiting room! Many urgent care centers are also completing testing for COVID-19 by appointment or on a walk-in basis. They offer results in a timely manner to provide peace of mind and facilitate treatment. In one respect, this latest virus is no different from any other medical condition in the need for prompt diagnosis. As Dr. Dr. Gregory Blomquist, Chief Medical Officer at CommunityMed Family Urgent Care, advises: “With any condition, it always pays to get a diagnosis and treatment started as quickly as possible from medical professionals.”