A sudden and scary medical situation can be confusing. You may not know whether to visit an urgent care center or go straight to the emergency room.
In the past, if a person gets injured or ill after hours or on a weekend, the first option would be the emergency room. This usually results in long waits. These days, with the rising cost of health care, a visit to the ER also requires a dip in the pocket. This means receiving quick treatments for non-life-threatening becomes difficult. Patients could avoid these issues if they visit an urgent care clinic instead.
What is an Urgent Care Clinic?
Urgent care centers are quick and affordable places to visit when someone has a non-life-threatening illness or condition. These types of facilities help patients avoid the need for more expensive medical services. Doctors and various medical staff at these centers are qualified to deal with patient health issues by appointment and on a walk-in basis.
When to Visit an Urgent Care Clinic?
It can get confusing deciding whether to visit an emergency room, seek medical attention at an urgent care clinic, or simply wait until regular business hours to see a doctor. Convenience, affordability, and efficiency make up the core reasons to visit an urgent care clinic, but the number one reason to go to urgent care is to stay in control of your health and well-being.
Read on, to know when to Visit an Urgent Care Clinic:
- You are sick and aren’t getting better
Most people experience the common cold periodically. Other sicknesses such as the flu and strep throat can also strike at a moment’s notice and leave you miserable for days. If you suddenly feel ill, it’s probably time to get medical attention from a health care professional at your local urgent care clinic.
- You have significant lacerations that don’t involve vital organs
Sometimes accidents result in nasty cuts that can leave you in mild shock. These lacerations are rarely fatal if quickly treated and properly cleaned. But such injury will need to be stitched to stop the bleeding and facilitate the healing process. If you have had an accident that is significant but not life-threatening, visit an urgent care clinic immediately for treatment.
- Injury isn’t life-threatening but you feel severe pain
By now, you probably know when an injury is truly life-threatening and when it isn’t. But just because an injury isn’t potentially fatal does not mean that it won’t cause severe pain. If you have suffered an injury that is causing horrific pain, visit an urgent care clinic to ensure that you are okay.
- You want to see a regular doctor during business hours
If you are suffering from an injury or illness that usually would not warrant an ER trip if it happened during business hours, then you should probably head to the urgent care clinic. For example, if you are running a fever, under normal circumstances you would see your regular physician. However, if you need medical attention after business hours, an urgent care/walk-in clinic is the perfect place for you.
Finally. Do not rely on urgent care as a replacement for preventive care. You should not put off routine screenings and check-ups with the thought that you can visit an urgent care clinic if something comes up.
If you decide to visit an urgent care clinic, stop by any First Care Medical Clinic location and receive the quality care you deserve.