Urgent Care Clinic or Emergency RoomWhich to Choose?

Urgent medical care is something that is needed by almost everyone at one time or another. Many types of medical help are available in different locations and facilities. It is easy to find doctors locally, as well as local medical clinics, by searching online. Having this type of information before it is needed is always better than the frantic search in an emergency!

Occurrences that could warrant the services of an urgent medical care facility are sprains and fractures, which are among the most common of injuries. Statistics show that every day around 25,000 people in the U.S. alone experience a sprained ankle. Luckily, especially for off days and times, an urgent care clinic will take care of this type of injury.

People will visit a medical walk in clinic for a wide variety of complaints. Often, the patient will be seen for their symptoms, but will need to follow up with their primary physician or a specialist. For instance, a patient may walk into an after hours urgent care facility complaining of dizziness. Statistics show that, of people over the age of 60, up to 65% have symptoms of dizziness or loss of balance every day. Dizziness will affect 70% of Americans at some point in their lives, and is said to be the second most common reason patients will visit their doctor. After being seen and treated at a walk in clinic for this complaint, the patient will be advised to see their own doctor, or perhaps a specialist, for subsequent examination and testing.

Back pain is a common complaint for many people. So common that 69% of people in the U.S. will admit that it adversely affects their daily lives. If it is severe enough during a time when their doctor’s office is closed, the patient might opt to visit a local clinic for urgent medical care. Because 40% of people who experience chronic back pain do not consult a doctor or take any physical therapy, it is entirely possible, and probably common, for them to experience severe back pain from time to time. Again, rather than waiting for a doctor’s appointment, or waiting for hours at the local hospital emergency room, many individuals will choose to visit an urgent medical care facility.

With the many symptoms that people experience for so many types of complaints, walk in medical care has become a welcome and well used commodity. There are at present about 20,000 doctors who work at these facilities. A common reason for a visit to an urgent medical care facility is a sprain or fracture. Walk in medical facilities are equipped to handle these types of problems; however, they normally do not have the physical therapy equipment that may be required to handle the ongoing care needed in some cases. Patients will be directed by the urgent care facility staff to visit a specialist for any subsequent care that may be required.

Urgent medical care is something that can easily be addressed at many local walk in medical clinics around the country, depending upon the nature of the symptoms. Occasionally, symptoms are serious enough to need the equipment and further expertise of a medical center emergency room. Again, a good rule of thumb is to know the locations and even the phone numbers of local clinics and hospitals, and to keep a record of them someplace where they are easily found.