While many know of urgent care due to their recent growth rate, there are numerous things that the average person doesn’t know about the centers. They are able to provide more care than most people know, with longer hours available and less wait time than many other medical care options. Read on for a few things you may not know about these great facilities.
About 60% of urgent care facilities have wait times of 15 minutes or less, and 65% have a physician on-site at all-times.
A survey done by The Urgent Care Association of America proved the small wait times, and also showed that 80% of all visits last 60 minutes or less.
About 66% of urgent care facilities open before 9:00 am on weekdays, with 45.7% opening at the same time on Saturdays and 31.1% at the same time on Sundays.
About 90.6% of urgent care centers stay open until 7:00 pm on weeknights, while two out of five are open until 9:00 pm or later.
One in every five urgent cares see over 450 patients per week.
About 70% of centers are able to provide intravenous fluids if needed.
Around half of ER patients only seek medical care at an ER because their primary physicians’ office was closed, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Four out of five, or 80%, of centers are able to provide fracture care to their patients.
Physicians, or groups of physicians, own about half of all urgent care centers.
About 40% of urgent cares now use electronic prescription ordering systems, in addition to many using computerized systems for viewing lab and imaging results, collecting patient demographics, billing, condition and procedure coding, and notes.
A swollen and twisted ankle is very common, especially in sports. It is awkward and kind of embarrassing when you lose balance. You might feel a pop when the injury happens and a swollen ankle and pain when walking, that hurts, and you may struggle to stand on your ankle. A sprained ankle is an injury of one or more ligaments on the outside of your ankle. A sprain can be difficult to differentiate from a broken bone without being examined on an x-ray.
These are some of the best tips you can take advantage of when you have a sprained ankle:
Rest, ice, compress and elevate your ankle
Rub the ankle with essential oils
Eat specific foods to speed up the healing process
Easy exercises for your ankle daily
Avoid harming your ankle at all costs
An ankle sprain is a twisted ankle that leads to the tearing and overstretching of one of the ligaments around the ankle joint.
Here are some ideas for treatment of a twisted ankle needing first aid:
Exercises
Physical therapy
Ankle supports
Surgery
An ankle sprain in severe cases can be accompanied by the ligament or fracture that has pulled off the part of the bone. There are many clinics that offer swollen twisted ankle treatment.
Did you know that just under half of all adult emergency room patients are not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital but went to the E.R. because their doctor’s offices were closed? Maybe you have been in this situation yourself. It’s late in the evening, you have a fever, you know you’re sick and need treatment, but you don’t know where to turn to get the best care available. For non-emergency illnesses and injuries, your best bet may be to learn what is urgent care and to find a center near you.
What is urgent care?
Urgent care centers are clinics that are cheaper and faster than a trip to the emergency room, but have more flexible hours than your doctor’s office. About 60% of all urgent care facilities have a wait time of 15 minutes or less to see a doctor or a mid-level provider and 65% have a doctor on-site at all times. Most urgent care centers stay open past 7:00 pm on weeknights and two out of five urgent care centers will remain open until 9:00 pm or later. Many even have weekend hours.
What can be treated at an urgent care clinic?
Most urgent care centers are equipped to treat patients with common illnesses such as sinus infections, ear infections, and strep throat. As far as injuries go, most (80%) of urgent care centers are able to provide fracture care. 70% or urgent care centers are even able to provide intravenous fluids if needed.
How can I decide between going to an urgent care clinic and going to the emergency room?
If you have a common illness and you don’t believe that it is serious enough to get you admitted to the hospital, urgent care might be the best choice. Emergency rooms are best for emergency situations and injuries and illnesses that will require hospitalization.
How can I be prepared for a visit to an urgent care center?
Remember, when it comes to your health, the choice is yours. When faced with an illness, deciding where to get treatment is important. Now that you know what is urgent care, you can weigh your options and seek the best and most convenient treatment possible.
