Urgent care centers or clinics play a key role in healthcare by providing timely care for non-emergency health issues. They are essential to both patients and the healthcare system as a whole. Here is a closer look at their vital role and how patients can benefit from these healthcare facilities.
Urgent care clinics fill the gap between primary care and hospital emergency rooms. They treat non-emergency medical issues that need immediate attention. In addition, they provide a place for patients with non-emergencies who do not have a primary care doctor. Those with a primary care doctor can turn to urgent care centers when they are away from home or need care outside their doctor's business hours.
Various medical professionals staff urgent care centers, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Their staff often include radiology and lab technicians as well. Therefore, they can diagnose and treat a wide range of medical issues.
Along with the staff, urgent care clinics usually have more advanced medical equipment than a walk-in clinic. Urgent care centers typically have a range of diagnostic lab equipment for testing blood and other bodily fluids and radiography equipment.
One of the most valuable ways urgent care clinics help the healthcare system is by reducing the workload of hospital emergency rooms. They give patients a place to go for non-emergency medical matters so ER staff can focus on life and limb emergencies.
Visits to hospital emergency rooms can be expensive, and wait times can be long. Urgent care centers offer a more economical way to deal with sudden medical issues. In addition, many centers offer patients the opportunity to reserve an appointment online, which can lead to even shorter wait times.
Most urgent care centers are open seven days a week, opening as early as 7 am and closing as late as 9 pm. Many urgent care centers are open till midnight on certain days. This availability makes them ideal for health matters that arise outside the times when one's regular doctor is typically open.
In short, urgent care is where one goes when one cannot see their regular doctor, but the medical issue is not an emergency. An emergency room is still best for cases threatening life or limb. However, here are some key examples of medical issues urgent care can diagnose and treat:
Major burns or bone fractures, including skull fractures, should be seen in an emergency room. Seizures, severe pain, head injuries, and symptoms of a heart attack are also medical emergencies.
{{DBA}} offers services that bridge the gap between primary and emergency room care. If you are dealing with a sudden injury or illness and do not have a regular doctor or your regular doctor is unavailable, we can help. Call our team today to learn more about our urgent care services, or stop by during regular business hours.
Request an appointment here: https://wellnessfirsturgentcare.com or call Wellness First Urgent Care at (469) 249-8575 for an appointment in our Duncanville office.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
It is unlikely that a person can avoid having a common cold for too long. It is possibly the most common illness that people get, hence its name. Colds pass from person to person through close contact and can affect people of all ages. Symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, along with coughing and…
Saying that getting the common cold is inevitable is not far from the truth. This illness is highly contagious and can infect anyone at any time of the year. It is most likely to stay in your system for seven to 10 days, though you can have a shorter or longer bout with it. If…
Wondering where to get a sports physical for your child? Sports physicals are important, as they help to ensure that a child is in good shape before playing a sport. One place to get a sports physical is a primary care clinic.Sports physical examinations are also known as preparticipation physical examinations. These examinations are essential…
Getting the common cold is something you will most certainly have to contend with at some point. A virus causes this sickness, and it is highly contagious. Colds are most prevalent during the winter and late fall, but anyone can get one at any time of the year. Falling victim to a cold means you…
It is unlikely that a person can avoid having a common cold for too long. It is possibly the most common illness that people get, hence its name. Colds pass from person to person through close contact and can affect people of all ages. Symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, along with coughing and…
Saying that getting the common cold is inevitable is not far from the truth. This illness is highly contagious and can infect anyone at any time of the year. It is most likely to stay in your system for seven to 10 days, though you can have a shorter or longer bout with it. If…