If you have a medical problem that needs quick attention, you might not be able to wait until your primary care doctor can see you. It could take a couple of days before you could be seen at your regular doctor's office. Instead of automatically heading straight to the emergency room of your local hospital, you might want to consider visiting the walk in urgent care center. Here are two of the reasons why:
You Can Save Time
When you are in pain or dealing with a major sickness, the last thing you probably want to do is sit in a waiting room for hours. When emergency rooms get busy, that is exactly what a lot of people end up doing. You should usually find that the wait time to be seen at a walk in urgent care center is going to be a lot shorter. If you are able to go first thing when they open in the morning, you might be able to be one of the first few patients to be called back, allowing you to skip having to wait for any extended amount of time. The sooner you are able to be seen, the sooner you can receive the treatment you need to start feeling better.
You Can Save Money
Many people have medical insurance coverage that allows them to go to the ER, but unless their ER trip results in them being admitted, they will have a co-payment of a few hundred dollars. The co-payment for a trip to an urgent care center is usually a lot more affordable. This is because treatment at the ER will cost your insurance company a lot more than treatment at a walk in urgent care center. Before you drive to the urgent care center of your choice, make sure that you are first calling them in order to verify whether they accept your insurance plan.
Remember, if what you are experiencing is a true medical emergency, such as a stab or gun shot wound, symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, or labor, you will want to call 911 or have someone take you to the nearest hospital. Other problems, such as flu symptoms, low grade fevers, fractured fingers, and other less severe issues can be treated at an urgent care center. When in doubt, call your doctor's office and they will advise you on where to go.
Urgent care centers can be a great way to save time and money. For more information, contact a local urgent care facility such as La Costa Urgent Care.
