While you may know that walkin medical clinics provide treatment for the flu or a sprained ankle, you may not know all of the services that they provide. The best part? The American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine requires these walkin medical clinics to be open for business 7 days per week, meaning if you fracture a bone on Saturday afternoon, you may not need to spend your Saturday night in the Emergency Room. Below are 7 services that you might not have known walkin medical clinics provided.
X-Ray services
Most urgent care clinics offer X-ray services for patients with potential sprains, fractures, and other bone related issues. Some urgent care centers even offer digital X-ray services, which allow the doctor to interpret your results while you wait. This way, you don’t have to wonder if you sprained your wrist or fractured it, you’ll know by the time you leave.
Pre-operation physicals
It can be difficult to get off of work for an operation, especially if the operation requires a long recovery. Many urgent care facilities offer pre-operation physicals, which allow you to work around your schedule so you don’t have to take any(more) time off of work.
Work and school physicals
Many places of employment, as well as schools, require physicals. Normally you might go to your doctor for this type of physical, however, it may be difficult to get an appointment with your doctor, especially during busy seasons, such as August and September. Instead, you can go to your nearest urgent care facility and get your school or work physical done there.
Pre-employment drug testing
While not all urgent care centers provide pre-employment drug testing, about 69.3% of centers in the United States do. If you need to get a drug test in order to get employment, you’ll likely want to get it done quickly so you can start working. It can be difficult to schedule an appointment with your doctor, so, instead, take a trip to your urgent care center and get your drug testing done there.
Travel vaccinations
If you’re planning on traveling out of the country and need vaccinations and potential medicine, you don’t have to take a trip to the Health Department. Many urgent care centers offer travel vaccinations to save you the trip before your trip.
Interpreter services
Some urgent care centers even offer interpreter services through a phone service. The phone service is confidential, meaning you don’t need to worry about any of your medical history getting out. If you have trouble speaking English, don’t assume you can’t go to your nearest urgent care center. Try calling them and see if they have an automated system that offers different languages.
Most prescriptions
Many prescriptions can be written at an urgent care center, thus saving you the trip to the doctor. The only medications that are not commonly filled are for chronic pain or anxiety conditions, or those requiring narcotics.
Does your local urgent care center provide all of these services? Will you think twice before heading to your Primary Care doctor or the Emergency Room next time? Let us know in the comments!