When you are looking at spending an average of 1500 dollars at the emergency room, sometimes visiting an urgent care facility is a better options. In fact, you will probably spend under 150 dollars per visit for your minor convenient care. More than 80 percent of urgent care patients have a wait of 15 minutes or less according to the Urgent Care Association of America. By visiting an urgent care nearby, you can save significant inconvenience from the emergency room for minor injuries.
Whether it is for you or your family, you are apt to find it more convenient to avoid the typical emergency room wait for most minor illnesses and minor health issues. The convenience of getting in to see a doctor with minimal advance notice makes a difference when you are suffering from the flu or a bad cold. If your doctor has closed for the day, some ailments will not warrant seeking emergency room care, but they deserve finding medical urgent care facilities.
It is estimated that approximately 30 percent of all U.S. emergency room visits would be better served with faster, more affordably convenient care in an after hours clinic. Typically, an urgent care facility has all of the necessary diagnostic equipment to perform general lab work, xrays or basic testing. Whether it is a sprain, a suspected break, or some kind of viral issue, you can save hours if you choose to visit an urgent care center instead of going to the emergency room.
Among the other advantages of visiting an urgent care facility is having the convenience of scheduling certain minor procedures, like vaccinations or physicals. Instead of getting on a waiting list with your primary care physician, you can get your annual flu shot with a minimal wait at the urgent care facility. Additionally, sports physicals and annual childrens physicals can be obtained relatively quickly.
While there are generally sufficient facilities for urgent care nearby, there is still an ongoing expansion. The Urgent Care Association of America estimates another 9,000 urgent care facilities are in position to expand. That means that your ability to get after hours care or minor emergency treatment will only get better as the facilities grow in number throughout the U.S. Research more here.