Urgent care centers are appearing all over the U.S. and with good reason. Currently, urgent care centers handle nearly 20 million patient visits annually, which represents almost 20% of primary care visits. Providers like Sterling Urgent Care offer a range of benefits unmatched by emergency rooms or primary care doctors. These include:
1. Convenient Hours
Getting sick rarely happens at convenient times, and symptoms often appear when doctors' offices are closed. At one time, that meant an expensive trip to the emergency room. Facilities like Sterling Urgent Care now offer flexible evening and weekend hours that provide an alternative.
2. Affordable Care
Millions of patients visit affordable urgent care centers for the treatment of conditions that once would have required a trip to the emergency room. Urgent care clinics treat a range of issues for a fraction of what a hospital charges and can even be less expensive than a doctor's visit.
Some clinics offer yearly memberships that entitle patients to reduced-cost services. For example, an x-ray could cost as little as $10. Many clinics work with patients even when they don't have insurance.
3. Fast Treatment
Visiting hospital emergency rooms or doctors' offices can mean long wait times. Hospital emergency rooms treat very serious cases first, so many patients wait for hours before seeing a physician. Doctors may double or even triple-book patients. However, urgent care facilities are efficiently designed to provide fast service without sacrificing quality. Patients get the best urgent care without long wait times.
4. Walk-in Service
A patient with a non-life-threatening condition has to make an appointment to see their primary care doctor, which can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. There is no need to make an appointment to see medical professionals at urgent care centers. Clinics are designed for walk-in service, and patients can visit anytime they need help.
5. The Ability to Treat a Range of Issues
An urgent care center is equipped to treat everything from minor to severe issues. While they are not recommended for treating a life-threatening emergency, clinics can provide care for conditions that include fractures, wounds, sudden illnesses, and the flu. They also offer telemedicine services, vaccinations, and occupational medical services.
Urgent care centers are growing in popularity because they offer convenient hours, quick service, and excellent care. They provide an affordable option to expensive emergency room visits and can be less costly than a visit to a primary care doctor. Clinics offer walk-in services and are equipped to handle a wide range of routine and emergency medical issues.