Today’s healthcare system can be both complicated and overwhelming. As more and more Americans have gained access to insurance through the Affordable Care Act, in fact, their may be many first time insurance holders who cannot understand the benefits that are included and the resources that are available to them. For this reason, perhaps more than ever before, it is important to make sure that you realize that you need to be prepared to be a diligent consumer when it comes to getting the healthcare that will keep you living a long and productive life.
From selecting the right medical professionals to making sure that you are visiting the most cost effective provider, there are many concerns that healthcare consumers have. If, for instance, you have never had a family insurance plan you might not be used to the preventative healthcare visits that you can get at a family pediatrician’s or physician’s offices. Likewise, if you have not had access to healthcare coverage in the past, you may think that the only place to get evening weekend care is at a very hospital emergency room. This, of course, could not be further from the truth. Knowing where to get the care that you need can help you not only lead a healthier life, but it can also provide you with affordable and reliable options.
Urgent Care Centers Provide Convenient, Affordable, and Reliable Care to Many Patients
While you need to go to the hospital emergency room if you are truly experiencing an emergency health condition, the reality is that not every situation is an emergency. When, for instance, you are looking for someone to decide if a sprained ankle also involves a break, these are services that you can get from a walk in health clinic. These diagnostic services, in fact, would likely be more quickly administered and read in an urgent care setting. Emergency rooms are just that. If someone comes in who is having a heart attack, that person will be treated before you and you will find yourself waiting for the x-ray that you need. In an urgent care setting, however, you will not be competing for the doctor’s time with patients who need more serious, emergency care.
In addition to the convenience, an urgent care center is also more affordable. So affordable, that at some locations the cost of basic care and services are actually posted on site and online. A recent Urgent Care Association of America’s 2016 Benchmarking Report indicated that there are 7,357 urgent care centers in the U.S., so finding a nearby location should not be a problem.
Not surprising, the same 2016 Benchmark Report also indicated that as many as 27% of U.S. patients reported that they had visited an urgent care center within the last two years. As the nation continues to adapt tot he fact that more and more people have access to health care it should come as no surprise that the healthcare industry continues to explore and expand the number of platforms that are available to patients. This, of course, makes it even more important for people to realize that they are still consumers even when they are in need of healthcare.