Did you know that there are an estimated 6,800 urgent care centers in the United States? Urgent care facilities are designed to treat non-life-threatening medical conditions, and this has allowed urgent care to become a practical alternative to the emergency room. Since 110 million patients visit the emergency room each year, urgent care is a convenient way to help reduce ER crowding.
1. Variety of treatment. Immediate care facilities are designed to treat several types of minor medical conditions. Strains, sprains, food poisoning, concussions, upper respiratory illnesses, fractures, and lacerations, for example, can all be treated at an urgent care center. In addition, many of these family health care facilities offer anonymous STD testing for men and women, which makes them helpful in a variety of ways.
2. Short wait times. Urgent care centers operate on a walk-in basis, which means many patients experience short wait times. In fact, 57% of patients wait only 15 minutes or less to be seen, and 80% of all visits are completed in 60 minutes or less. As a result, most patients can expect to get the medical attention they need right away by visiting urgent care.
3. Low cost. Immediate care facilities are often less expensive than the emergency room. While the average ER visit costs approximately $1,500, the typical trip to urgent care only costs about $150. This means that patients can get the care they need at a price they can afford.
There are several benefits of visiting urgent care centers. Not only do these facilities offer low costs and a variety of treatment, such as STD testing for men and women, but urgent care patients also experience short wait times, as well. As a result, immediate care has become a viable alternative to the emergency room for minor medical conditions. This is a great source for more.