Emergency Room Alternatives You Can Use

As a parent, you know how important it is to have the best medical care possible for your family. You may think that if your child or spouse falls ill or has an accident when your regular doctor is not available that a trip to the emergency room is in order. However, there is a great alternative that can help save you both time and money.
Urgent care centers can provide medical care for many non life threatening injuries and illnesses, thus avoiding a trip to the emergency rooms. These care centers can provide medical attention for sprains, strains, lacerations, and bruises and bumps. They can also treat gastrointestinal distress, as well as upper respiratory illnesses.
At an urgent care center, you will more than likely experience a much shorter wait time than you would at an emergency room. Statistics show that the average wait time at an after hours urgent care center is about 15 minutes, which is much less than a wait time at an emergency room.
You will also find that the cost at one of these centers is less than an emergency room. A trip to the emergency room can cost upwards of $1,500, while a visit to an urgent care facility will run you around $150. A visit to a urgent care center usually charge a co pay that is similar to what a doctor would charge, which is significantly less than emergency room charges.
These emergency room alternatives can also provide routine medical services such as lab work, physicals, and vaccinations. This will reduce the hassle you will have of making a doctors appointment, because these centers usually work on a walk in basis.
You might be interested to know that the urgent care industry is growing. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, there are an estimated 9,000 urgent care facilities in the United States that are looking to open another branch or expand. And, an estimated 53% of these emergency room alternatives have been in operation for more than five years.
Find an urgent care center near your home just in case of any of those unforeseen illnesses or injuries, and save the trip to the emergency room.
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