Emergency room department visits can cost at least 10 times more than a visit to facilities offering urgent care 24 hours. Plus, you can shorten your wait for treatment. In fact, over 80% of 24 hr urgent care patients only experience a wait time of 15 minutes or less, according to the Urgent Care Association of America. When looking for facilities offering urgent care 24 hours, knowing that they operate on a walk in basis can save you time and money when you need minor medical care.
By visiting urgent care in your area, you can save significant inconvenience as an alternative to the emergency room. For most minor illnesses and minor health issues, you can walk in without an appointment, and get a diagnosis within 15 or 20 minutes. That added convenience of being able to see a doctor with little to no advance notice is timely when facing the flu, a sprain or some other nagging health issue. And typically, you may find that you need care at times when your doctor has closed for the day, but you are not sick enough to seek emergency care.
Estimates show that more than one third of documented U.S. emergency room visits may have been better candidates for a facility offering urgent care 24 hours, and been resolved more quickly and more affordably than spending time at the ER. Generally, minor medical clinics have the diagnostic equipment for general lab work, xrays or testing. For stitches, sprains or suspected breaks, you can save hours by visiting urgent care.
The minor medical facilities also offer another big advantage by providing the flexibility for scheduling various minor procedures, including vaccinations, tests and physicals. When you get your flu shot each year, you may face a wait if you schedule it with your primary care physician, but dropping into an urgent care facility gives you the flexibility to get your shot according to your schedule. Also, parents appreciate being able to schedule things like their childrens yearly sports physicals, which 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. Plus, the walk in convenience lets you get the care you need quickly and affordably. Continue your research here: doctorsexpressenglewood.com