The American healthcare industry is a lot different than it used to be just 10 or 15 years ago. Not only is it mandatory for all American citizens to have some level of health coverage due to the passing of the Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act, but urgent care centers have grown beyond their former reputation as being sub-par health clinics to become an essential component of the American healthcare system. Considering how popular — and necessary — urgent care clinics have become now, it’s hard to imagine what the American healthcare industry would do without them.
Urgent facilities are designed to bridge the expanding gap between overburden, short-staffed hospital emergency departments and booked primary care physician offices. For example, if you’re feeling sick late on weeknight but don’t feel sick enough to make a trip to the emergency room, a 24 hour urgent care facility would be the best place to seek treatment.
Like other urgent care facilities, 24 hour urgent care is designed to evaluate and treat medical conditions and illnesses that require immediate medical attention, but may not be severe enough to require emergency medical care. Ailment such as the flu, a stomach bug, burns, and even sprains can easily be treated at an urgent care center. However, as more and more urgent care centers begin to expand the number of medical services and treatments they provide, it can be difficult to determine where to seek the appropriate care.
For example, many urgent care centers offer x-ray services, lab services, and many even in-house dispensaries that allow patients to leave the clinic with their prescribed medication. However, urgent care is no replacement for services that a hospital emergency department can provide. In fact, many emergency room physicians have expressed concern over patient confusion.
When it comes to determining the level of care you need, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Always listen to your body!
