Many parents of young children can remember when they, themselves, were children. There was no in between option for being sick or getting injured. Treating an injury or a cold usually meant waiting for a long period of time. That, however, is no longer the case for those of us who have found the latest trend in medical treatment–the urgent care facility.
Urgent care facilities treat injuries and illnesses that are not so severe that a trip to the emergency room is warranted. The doctors at these types of clinics can treat a broader range of illnesses and injuries, having more time to give the attention necessary to every patient who walks in. Urgent care doctors can see more patients and have the ability to diagnose and treat conditions that are not emergencies or life-threatening. This is the in between medical service.
With all of the discussions going on in the United States today about healthcare, one thing is undeniable: more doctors are seeing more patients because of the changes that are being made regarding how medical visits are being done. The new way of practicing certain types of medicine is changing everything. Here are three ways that is being done.
1.) Eighty-five percent of urgent care facilities nationwide are open seven days a week.
In the days gone by, there were very few options for treatment after regular business hours if you injured yourself or became ill with the flu or some other virus. Now, with this new form of medical practice, getting seen and treated is much more convenient. More than eight out of ten offices are open on the weekends, making it a much better way to serve patients.
2.) There are many doctors all over the country who have moved to this form of medical practice.
Imagine you are traveling across the country. While none of us can predict when and where we might get sick or become injured, we can rest assured that just about anywhere we go we can find a doctor who can treat our medical problems. Right now, there are roughly 20,000 doctors who are practicing urgent care medicine. So, whether you are at an office in Portland, Maine or visiting a Tacoma urgent care clinic in Washington, you are sure to find a physician to treat you.
3.) More people are able to be seen for treatment with this form of medical practice.
According to the Urgent Care Association of America, urgent care centers across the country see approximately 3 million patients every week. Because of the availability of doctors and the hours the offices keep, people are less likely to put off going in to see the doctor for something they might not have bothered to have treated twenty years ago.
Access to quality healthcare is something that every individual should have. When primary care physicians have closed their offices for their normal end of day hours, urgent care centers can provide easy access to quality treatment from extremely qualified doctors. If you have never visited an urgent care facility, you might be surprised at what you find.
What you can expect is something much more than bare bones set up that simply preps patients to be seen at another facility when that facility is open once again. You will find doctors, nurses, and staff members who are fully qualified and ready to help treat your injury or illness quickly, competently, and will the best resources you can find.