Urgent Care Clinics Trusted Experts in Emergency Care
Being sick is never fun, and there is no such thing as a good or convenient time to get sick. Whether you are young or old, it is important to take care of your health by seeing a doctor regularly and getting care when you are ill. However, there is not always time to get seen by a primary care doctor and some care centers have limited hours of operation. This is where urgent care facilities and emergency service physicians can make a world of difference. There are two general types of non-emergency care centers that are generally available. The specifics of express care vs urgent care come down to what they treat and how they operate. Generally speaking, express care centers do not have appointments and are meant for urgent yet non-threatening illnesses and injuries. Urgent care treatment is for more serious issues and is often associated with hospitals and can have patients be admitted to the emergency room if they need more advanced care. Depending on how far is the nearest hospital and what your health concern is, an urgent care or express care facility may be just what you are looking for to get the care you need to feel better!
The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that 90,000 new physicians will be needed by 2020, and 130,000 will be needed by 2025. In “Projecting U.S. Primary Care Physician Workforce Needs: 2010-2025,” for example, researchers concluded that nearly 52,000 primary care physicians will be required by 2025.
It is interesting to note that in 2009, only 1,083 medical school seniors chose to specialize in Family Medicine. This was less than in 2008 when 1,1172 chose this specialty. Urgent Care Medicine, however, is a growing specialty, and there are approximately 20,000 physicians that currently practice within this field. While specialties other than Urgent Care Medicine will be needed, it is likely that a large percentage of medical students will choose to enter this area of medicine.
Given the growth of Urgent Care Medicine, there are roughly 9,300 stand-alone urgent care centers now in operation. This number does fluctuate, however, because new clinics open every year while others may expand or consolidate.
When a private study was conducted by Milliman, it was found that roughly 44% to 65% of all traditional emergency room visits could have been handled at an urgent care clinic. No advance appointments and shorter waiting periods are just 2 benefits when receiving convenient medical treatment at an urgent care clinic. Furthermore, an average emergency room visit and treatment can cost $2,039.00, while the same situation would cost an average of $226.00 at an urgent care facility.
When thinking about receiving convenient medical treatment, some individuals may immediately think about their primary care physician. For others, however, urgent care centers may come to mind. It is a well-known fact that even though hospital emergency rooms are available 24 hours a day, they may not be a convenient choice for non-emergency situations.
Rather than visit a hospital emergency room for a non-life-threatening condition or illness, individuals and their families can receive convenient and affordable care at a local urgent care center. Since most of these clinics accept walk-ins, individuals and their families can receive immediate care rather than waiting for an appointment with their regular physician. Due to receiving immediate care, this can make a significant impact on the health and well-being of urgent care patients.
Most urgent care facilities have advanced diagnostic and laboratory services on site. Furthermore, they know how to treat shortness of breath, headaches, minor burns, lacerations, and other types of medical situations such as chest and abdominal pain. Comprehensive specialized pediatric care is also available for infants and children.
The best urgent care clinics have trusted experts in emergency care. When timely and convenient medical treatment is needed, visit urgent care rather than the hospital emergency room. The exception to this, of course, would be in situations with an illness or injury that is potentially life-threatening.
