Understanding the differentiators between urgent and emergency medical attention is crucial to determining whether or not you should seek medical attention immediately. The emergency room is only for emergencies. Medical emergencies are anything that puts your life and limb in jeopardy. Going to the emergency department immediately is imperative if you’re at risk of becoming disabled or dying if you do not seek immediate medical attention.
The term “urgent care” refers to injuries or diseases that require immediate attention but do not present a risk to your health. Some patients who go to the ER to seek treatment after hours can be handled at an urgent care facility.
Upsides of Urgent Care Clinics
In today’s fast-paced environment, having timely and professional medical care is vital. Maintaining health and addressing problems whenever they arise has become an essential part of our routine. Here are some reasons 24-hour urgent care clinics are critical.
1. Convenient and Accessible
Hospitals are on the top of their game when it comes to providing medical attention in life-threatening situations. In contrast, offices offer excellent care to patients scheduled to visit. Between these two options, urgent care facilities give customers immediate access to the care they require without needing emergency medical care or waiting on an appointment.
This is why waiting times are generally less than 15 minutes, and the convenience can’t be rivaled. Individuals who require treatment but do not require emergency care will benefit greatly from being able to access a clinic at any time, any day during the week.
You can see here on this website what urgent care is, when is it needed, and what conditions should prompt you to consult an urgent care clinic.
2. Cost
A consult in an urgent care facility will cost less than a trip to an emergency room or hospital. This is true for some reasons, among them that most insurance plans can be accepted at urgent care centers, and there is no bill from a third party.
Because the ER is available 24 hours, seven days a week, it can cost lots of money to maintain the ER functional and operating. A hospital’s emergency room must be equipped to handle any emergency and have a team of physicians who are proficient in their particular disciplines. Several high-end, specialist diagnostic tools are also needed.
3. Quality Care
Urgent care provides high-quality treatment. Most of them will have at least one full-time medical professional available every day, guaranteeing that the treatment you receive will be exactly as it is at a hospital specializing in primary medical care. For instance, you may go to an urgent care facility with complete faith in the quality of medical treatment provided while enjoying their convenience and lower cost.
The urgent care physicians have a wide range of knowledge. They know how to treat hand foot and mouth disease, asthma, sprains, etc.
4. Wide Range of Services
Urgent care clinics also have identical diagnostic instruments to small hospitals. Most urgent care facilities include an in-house lab where strep flu and other infections could be tested using urine, blood, or PCR. There are many X-ray machines, and some have ultrasounds for more sophisticated imaging and diagnostics.
Medical care that is not urgent may be provided in an urgent care center. Stitches, casts, and steroid injections are all readily available in urgent care clinics. You can check this detailed article on the topic of the reasons why people visit urgent care clinics. Specific urgent care clinics offer pharmacies on the premises, meaning you could get medications before leaving.
5. Decongest Emergency Facilities
In comparison to an emergency department, walk-in clinics typically provide greater room. Although many of their patients require urgent medical attention, they don’t need the same level of care given by an ER. You can have a more pleasurable experience than you have in an emergency department. Furthermore, each visit to a walk-in clinic eases the load on already overburdened emergency rooms, which is hugely beneficial to those requiring medical attention.