If you need medical attention for a non-life-threatening condition, it is becoming increasingly popular to seek care at urgent care centers. These medical walk in clinics provide treatment for a number of problems, ranging from asthma to anxiety, while also providing a number of convenient benefits. Because of this, urgent care clinics are spreading rapidly across the United States, making it easy to find the care you need, but more difficult to determine where to go in some cases. When it comes time to choose the right urgent care facility, look for these features to help make your decision.

Urgent Care Hours
One of the biggest advantages of seeking treatment at a walk in clinic is the convenience of urgent care hours. Unlike a traditional doctors office, urgent care centers are typically open seven days a week and provide after-hours care. Some may even be open 24 hours a day. However, a relatively small number of the clinics do not keep these hours, so the best way to determine which urgent care center you should go to is to check their schedule online.

Waiting Times
Another benefit of urgent care centers is that they often have waiting times of 15 minutes or less. However, in certain situations, such as flu season, this advantage may not exist. For this reason, check an urgent care facility’s website or call ahead before you make a visit to find the shortest wait period in your area.

Location
Urgent care centers get their name because they provide treatment for conditions that may not be life-threatening, but still require immediate attention. Because of this, you likely don’t want to drive around too much. Think about the urgent care clinic that is closest to your home or office and won’t have too much traffic.

Urgent care facilities are an extremely convenient and helpful resource in many American communities. However, it can still be difficult to choose which is the best clinic for you, especially if you or a loved one has a non-life-threatening condition, like asthma or a broken bone, that requires immediate attention. For this reason, use the qualities above to identify the best clinic near you. Helpful research also found here.