Finding An Urgent Care Center Near Me: A Guide

Who in this world does not want to live a healthy and disease free life? Everyone should strive towards good health because it is a fundamental requirement to leading a fulfilling and physically active life. But unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with good health. At a certain point of time, each and every one of us will suffer from some sort of health issue resulting in bodily discomfort. This is one of those certainties in life along with death and taxes; we can neither ignore nor avoid it. Minor health issues have a tendency to be a disruptive force, but people generally don’t deem them serious enough to warrant considerable concern. However, as the saying goes, you only live life once so even one wrong decision or a delay in treatment can result in serious consequences for you or your loved ones.

The knowledge that everyone experiences these minor health issues led to the arrival of urgent care centers. The primary function of these centers is to provide affordable non-emergency medical treatments in a faster, better and more reliable manner. So, when one feels discomfort or face some health issue in odd hours, the first question comes to one’s mind is “Is there any urgent care center near me”. And urgent care centers are champions in providing quick medical service in odd hours and without prior appointment. This philosophy represents one of the newest trends in health care in certain parts of the world, including the USA, where people have already started taking advantage by receiving treatment at these clinics when they have minor accidents, suffer from cuts or burns, need care for pregnancy and family planning issues, or even need x-rays. One of the reasons for the success of these centers is that they are located near patients, providing a quick and convenient way to see a certified and dedicated physician.  It is important to note however, that these urgent care centers are not like general hospitals or emergency rooms in that they don’t typically provide extended stay care or treatment for medical emergencies. However these centers do play a critical role in treating those who are injured in everyday accidents or are suffering from common medical ailments.

While they do not provide the same type of treatment as a hospital or emergency room, an urgent care clinic can be a good substitute for primary care.  A visit to a primary care physician often requires setting an appointment, which usually aren’t available for several days, and then waiting in the lobby well past your appointment time as the doctor seems to always be running late.  An urgent care center can offer the same services and treatments, as most clinics are staffed with physicians who have received the same or better training than a primary care physician.  Things like the flu, infections, minor broken bones, and even allergies can all be treated at an urgent care clinic.  All of these health ailments may be serious but are not life threatening and receiving treatment for them at a clinic, rather than a primary care physician can save a significant amount of time.  Urgent care clinics operate on a first come first serve basis, meaning you don’t have to set an appointment, and wait times are easily calculated. Yet, the biggest attraction of these clinics may be their extended operating hours which typically include evening and weekend hours in order to provide care at those times when patients truly need it.

It is important to know about the types of services offered by urgent care clinics and how these services differ from general hospitals and other existing medical facilities. As mentioned previously, when used properly for non-life threatening medical issues, urgent care centers are an important part of the health care system, saving patients time by seeing them on a walk in basis and without long wait times.  Hospital emergency rooms will always be necessary to treat true emergencies, but become bogged down when patients visit for other routine issues.  Primary care doctors are still a great way of receiving on-going treatment for persistent issues but urgent care centers provide a great alternative in order to receive treatment for those small but annoying issues that can be dealt with quickly.  And if further treatment is necessary, the clinic can help coordinate with a primary care physician or provide a recommendation for a specialist.

 

Next time you need to evaluate where to go for care, consider carefully what type of treatment is needed, and then choose where to see a doctor.  For most issues, you can simply opt to visit one of the many urgent care clinics near you and can rest assured that you will receive quality care to help you feel better quickly.