An illness, allergic attack or injury can happen any time. How can you prepare for the unexpected? An urgent care facility is designed with the express purpose of providing you with the care and attention you need, whether it’s an emergency x-ray for a broken bone or treating anayphalactic shock caused by an allergic reaction. Due to the ever-expanding demands of a growing population, medical care continues to grow to accommodate people of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. From urgent care facilities to regular clinics, doctors and nurses work around the clock to keep the population healthy and safe. Let’s take a look at the advantages of urgent care centers and how the help millions of people every year in the United States.
What Is Urgent Care?
Having a regular doctor and a form of insurance is necessary to stay healthy and confident during all periods of your life. However, there will be times where you’re unable to wait and need the immediate attention of a doctor, nurse or surgeon. An urgent care facility is staffed day and night by trained professionals that handle a wide variety of sudden problems, such as fractured bones or burns. Wait times are generally less than fifteen minutes to better make sure that people in pain and need of help can get the care they need as soon as possible. The majority of centers stay open until 7:00 pm or later, at around 90% of all clinics around the country, with the rest staying open until 9:00 pm. If you find yourself in need of immediate care and are unable to find an open urgent care facility, don’t hesitate to call an ambulance.
What Are Common Injuries And Illnesses?
There are many reasons that Americans visit an urgent care facility, but there are some issues that are more common than others. One of the most frequent reasons are due to food, bee or medication allergies. Another common reason is due to escalating flu or fevers, followed closely by cuts, burns, ear infections, sinus infections and STIs. Seven out of ten urgent care centers will provide intravenous fluids when needed, including but not limited to reasons of blood loss or blood transfer. Four out of five urgent care centers will tend to fractures, due to this being one of the most common and debilitating sudden injuries people can accrue.
How Does An Urgent Care Facility Work?
Attending an urgent care facility means you’re unable to wait until you can see your regular doctor or nurse. After staying in a waiting room for no longer than one hour, and on average fifteen minutes, you will be seen by the staff’s leading medical professionals and assessed on the best possible treatment for the injury or illness you’ve acquired. Over half of all urgent care facilities have a physician on-site at all times, with some requiring to call doctors in when necessary. You are rest assured that, no matter your financial situation or physical ailment, the care you receive will be timely and thorough. Knowing the difference between seeing an urgent care facility or your regular doctor is necessary for both your health and the industry at large.
When Should I See A Regular Doctor?
Urgent care is required for injuries or illnesses that are debilitating and sudden, but not life-threatening. An ambulance is what you use when you run the risk of life or death. Your regular doctor, however, is what you use for day-to-day general assistance. A regular doctor or nurse functions as a consistent and familiar element of your medical care, allowing you to develop a professional relationship in which you can regularly have your health assessed, treated and referred. A specialist exists in a similar area, though they are turned to for specific medical or mental conditions that need long-term treatment. If you find yourself in need of medical help but aren’t sure who to turn to, urgent care facilities and low-income clinics are there to assist you whenever you need it.