Minor medical problems are unfortunately a persistent part of daily life, particularly if you have children: research shows that an estimated 75% of children will suffer from an ear infection by the age of 5, in addition to the numerous other accidents and illnesses that will likely continue for the rest of their lives. But when these relatively minor conditions require medical attention, it can often be too much of a hassle to schedule an appointment at your pediatrician’s office, or require you to wait too long for medical care. For this reason, it is often recommended that you find urgent care services in your area to treat your family’s common medical conditions.
Urgent care facilities are designed to provide immediate healthcare for ailments and medical issues that do not threaten the patient’s life, but still require quick attention. For example, an estimated 80.7% of American urgent care centers provide care for bone fractures and splinting procedures. Given that emergency rooms and hospitals often face problems such as overcrowding, many Managed Care Operations organizations encourage patients to visit urgent care centers if their conditions are not life-threatening. However, urgent care clinics also offer a number of benefits to the members of their community.
The American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine requires all urgent care centers in the United States to be open for business 7 days a week; an estimated 85% of American urgent care centers comply with this requirement, making it easy for patients to access care. Additionally, the Urgent Care Association of America reports that over 80% of urgent care patients wait 15 minutes or less for treatment, often making a visit to urgent care simpler than visiting an emergency room or scheduling an appointment with a doctor. Finally, the typical urgent care visit in the United States has been shown to be 40 to 50% less expensive than a trip to the emergency room, because urgent care centers generally charge a co-pay fee similar to that of a doctor’s office rather than a hospital.
Urgent care centers are growing in popularity across the United States, making it easier than ever to find urgent care centers in your area. The next time you or a family member experiences a minor health problem, don’t waste your time and money by taking them to the emergency room or scheduling a doctor’s appointment; instead, find an urgent care center near you.