Benefits Of Urgent Care

WHAT IS URGENT CARE?

An urgent care clinic is a walk-in clinic that provides medical attention when you are unable to be seen by your primary care physician, or your condition isn’t serious enough for an emergency room visit. Common reasons for visiting your local urgent care include minor injuries and illnesses that require medical attention. This includes sore throats, sinus infections, earaches, etc. There are numerous benefits to urgent care clinics. They include:

WELL-ROUNDED CARE

Urgent care clinics are made to combine both family medicine and emergency medical services. The doctors at urgent care centers are well-rounded and trained to be able to treat whatever they are faced with. They have skills ranging from performing lab work, like blood tests, and X-rays. They also provide immunizations for traveling purposes if you are traveling and need those in a pinch.

WALK-IN SERVICE

Another benefit of urgent care is that it is convenient in the way it operates. It operates on a walk-in basis, so you can receive care whenever you need it. If you are out of town, or something comes up suddenly, there’s no need to have to plan ahead to see a medical care provider. Because they accept walk-ins, in general you will be waiting for less time than at a traditional health clinic or the ER. Urgent care clinics are great for if something comes up while traveling. If you’re far from home, the nearest urgent care will give you immediate care and treatment. There are approximately 9,000 urgent care centers around the United States, so you’re guaranteed to find one wherever you go within the country.

FLEXIBLE HOURS

Urgent care accommodates those rare instances in which you need care, but your primary care provider’s office is closed. Urgent care clinics are open on weekends, and open past 5pm. This is ultimately more convenient for someone who works a traditional 9–5 schedule.

COST-EFFECTIVE

The cost of urgent care is comparable to the cost of a typical doctor’s office. The emergency room has significantly more expensive co-pays and rates than urgent care clinics. With urgent care, there are no hidden costs, fees, or charges. You pay the co-pay determined by your insurance and that’s it.

WHEN TO CHOOSE URGENT CARE OR EMERGENCY ROOM

The question to ask when deciding to go to the emergency room or urgent care is, “is this life-threatening?” The emergency room is intended for true medical emergencies, or when a patient’s life is threatened. You should go to the emergency room if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Shortness of breath
• Heart attack
• Head injury
• Severe abdominal pains
• Unconsciousness
• Severe bleeding
• Major fractures

Urgent care is made for situations that warrant care, but are not life-threatening. Some examples of when to go to urgent care are when you are experiencing:

• Headaches
• Cold and flu symptoms
• Skin lesions
• Burns
• Pain
• Infections
• Minor sprains
• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia

Sherwood Urgent Care is Detroit’s premier urgent care center. Our head doctor has over 20 years of experience providing patients unparalleled service. Stop into our urgent care today to help you reclaim your health.