When Barack Obama first became president of the United States, making health insurance affordable and accessible for all was a top priority. And once Obamacare was enacted, it required all citizens of the United States to carry health insurance in some form or face a financial penalty in the form of a fine. Although many people criticized President Obama for “socializing” healthcare, Obamacare has given access to medical care to a number of people who previous uninsured and in desperate need. This only goes to show exactly how important it is to seek medical attention when needed.
Often times, people who need medical attention are unsure of where to seek the appropriate treatment. Seeking medical help at the wrong kind of facility is not only a waste of time and resources, but it can unnecessarily cost you a lot of money and may even put your health at risk. For example, in the case of a medical emergency where every second counts, going to an urgent care clinic instead of seeking emergency care can be a fatal mistake.
On the other hand, there are also consequences for going to a hospital emergency department when a trip to a doctors walk in clinic would have sufficed. When the time is right, going to a hospital emergency room instead of a doctors walk in clinic, such as an urgent care medical clinic, can cause more harm than good in terms of wasting time, resources, and money. Although some people may be reluctant to go to a doctors walk in clinic in fear that they may not receive proper medical attention, this is far from the case. Doctors walk in clinics are staffed with highly trained and experienced medical professionals who can provide quality medical care.
Here are three benefits of seeking medical care when necessary at a doctors walk in clinic.
Convenient hours
Unlike primary care physician offices which normally operate under regular daytime business hours, medical clinics have flexible, convenient hours and are often open until the late evening. In some cases, they’re even open 24 hours a day. Finding time to go to the doctor can be difficult especially if like most people, you work during the day. With medical clinics however, their convenient hours allow you to get the medical care you need before work, during your lunch break, after work, or even in the middle of the night! Sickness never happens at convenient times, so why shouldn’t medical clinic hours be convenient?
No appointment necessary
Although it’s very much possible to make an appointment at a medical clinic, it’s not necessary. Even without an appointment, patients can typically be seen in as little as 15 minutes. Making a medical appointment at a doctor’s office can be difficult, especially since most primary care officers have limited hours. And in some cases, you may not even be able to be seen until much later instead of when you needed to be. Urgent medical care clinics allow you to be seen as you need to be without having to wait around for an appointment to become available.
Affordable pricing
Emergency rooms are expensive and going to one for medical care when it’s not absolutely necessary can be a major financial drain. Urgent medical care centers on the other hand are incredibly affordable and are far less expensive than a trip to the emergency room or even a primary care physician office. Furthermore, many walk in medical care clinics also have a dispensary on premise which allows patients to receive their prescription medication as they leave without having to make an extra trip to the pharmacy. So not only can you save time, but you can also save money!
