In the event that you or a family member needs emergency medical care, where do you go? Although answers to this question very, the majority of people would probably choose to either call their general care doctors or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Of course, there are several different factors that could influence the ultimate decision one makes regarding the immediate medical care solution that is most appropriate for his or her situation. These include the severity of the injury or illness, the availability of his or her general care physician, and location. Since time is so crucial in emergency situations, location is, arguably, the most important factor to consider.
If the person seeking treatment lives in or just outside a city, he or she probably has a wealth of options. On the other hand, people who live in distant suburbs or rural locations might have only a couple of options, which might include driving for 30 minutes or more to the nearest hospital emergency room, or finding a local urgent care center for faster treatment.
Since local urgent care centers do not have the resources for treating traumatic illnesses and life-threatening illnesses, hospitals would be the only option in such cases. However, urgent care staff are fully capable of handling a variety of less serious emergency medical concerns; and since three-quarters of local urgent cares are located in suburban areas, they are ideal for people who do not reside within city limits.
In addition to convenient accessibility, the typical urgent care will treat patients in a fraction of the time, and at the fraction of the cost, of the average hospital medical center emergency room. In fact, 80% of urgent care patients can expect to be treated within the hour; and they are usually charged only 10% of what hospital emergency rooms charge.
Whether you are looking for a more conveniently located emergency care facility, don’t have health insurance coverage, or just don’t want to wait for hours in a hospital emergency room, local urgent cares are probably the best option. After all, why pay more and wait longer for the same kind of care?