A single trip to the emergency room can set you back tens of thousands of dollars. Treatment for a sprained ankle may cost up to $24,110. In rare cases, emergency room staff will charge patients only four dollars, also to mend a sprained ankle. In other words, stopping by your local emergency department is akin to playing Russian roulette with your finances. Luckily, there are much more affordable — and even more practical — alternatives. The next time you’re faced with a non-life threatening injury or ailment, here’s what you should do:

Skip The Emergency Room Altogether, and Save Thousands of Dollars

According to The Atlantic, “The average cost of a visit to the ER for over 8,000 patients across the U.S. was $2,168.” To put it another way, the cost of the emergency room can be astronomical. Visiting local urgent care centers, by comparison, amounts to an average of only $71 to $125. Considerably lower bills prevent patients from sticky payment alternatives, such as seeking a debt relief counselor. It is relatively common for Americans to enlist debt relief services to pay out-of-hand emergency room bills.

Get Care Whenever You Need It, Even On Holidays and Weekends

Too many patients end up in the emergency room because they (mistakenly) think they have nowhere else to go. “The percentage of people who come through who are sick enough to require hospital admission is about 22 percent,” The Atlantic continues. Urgent care centers are open late nights, weekends, and holidays. Some select, 24 hour centers even keep hours all day and all night long. Remember, if your traditional doctor’s office is closed, it is very likely that you do have options for care in the event of a non-life threatening illnesses or injuries.

Trust In Walk In Doctors For Quality Immediate Care

Walk in doctors have a vast amount of experience treating all kinds of semi-serious conditions. The clinics are more than capable of caring for patients with sprains, strains, lacerations, food poisoning, respiratory distress, and more. You can also visit pediatric urgent care if your young child needs assistance.

Don’t spend thousands — or even tens of thousands of dollars — unnecessarily. Seeking urgent care (or pediatric urgent care) to save money on quality and convenient treatment. Great references here: doctorsexpressphoenix.com