Are you unsure of the difference between urgent care clinics and the ER? Many people naturally default to heading to the ER, even if their ailments are minor. Multicare urgent care can be a great alternative to waiting for hours in an overcrowded emergency room. Indeed, about 27% of visits to the emergency room could have been taken to an urgent care center. Multicare urgent care facilities are often underrated–they offer a wide variety of services for a relatively affordable treatment and most work with your health insurance providers. For example, the average visit to the ER costs about $1,500, while the average cost of visiting an urgent care center is a fraction of that: usually averaging out under $150.
What Is Urgent Care?
Urgent care centers are a midway point between the ER or a visit to your primary doctor. If you have an illness or condition that isn’t life-threatening, but concerning enough that you can’t wait to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor, urgent care facilities are the place to go. For example, if you have a bad rash that’s worsened after a few days, trouble breathing, an accident or fall, or a urinary tract infection, those would necessitate a visit to an urgent care facility. You should always go to the ER if you have an injury that requires stitches, bad injuries to the head, neck, or back, or if you’re displaying signs of a heart attack or stroke.
What Are the Benefits of Visiting Urgent Care?
Ease of Access
In the United States, urgent care facilities are mandated to be open for business every day of the week, per the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine. If your primary care doctor is unavailable–for example, on the weekend or at a late hour, an urgent care facility will probably be near by and open for you to go to.
Range of Services
Many people don’t realize the amount of services that urgent care can provide. Did you know, for example, that urgent care can often do X-rays for fractures, sprains, or other issues that involve the bones? Doctors can also do fast blood work to be sent to your primary care doctor. A large percentage of urgent care work (almost 90%) can help treat workplace related sickness or injury like back pain or sprains.
Almost 81% of urgent care clinics can also offer care for your break or fracture. Need a drug test done for your new job? No problem. About 69% of urgent care centers offer drug testing services for that very purpose. If you have a bad cold, UTI, or an illness that require antibiotics, urgent care clinics can take care of that for you too. They have the license to prescribe antibiotics and pain medications, as well as have the jurisdiction to see what further care the patient needs.
In short, multicare urgent care facilities can help you bypass a crowded, expensive emergency room and get you the affordable and high quality healthcare you deserve.
