Urgent care clinics are becoming very common in cities all over the United States, offering quick and convenient care to individuals. These clinics are ideal for non-life threatening injuries and often cost less than what it would cost going to an emergency room. There is no need to make an appointment when going to an urgent care center, and often come in handy when you need to be seen, and your primary care physician’s office is closed. There are several things to take into consideration before visiting an urgent care center.
Call The Clinic First
It’s always best to play it safe and call the urgent care center ahead of time. One mistake you can easily make is going to an urgent care center without calling first and finding out you didn’t even need to go in the first place. For what you may think deserves a trip to the urgent care center may result in a trip to the emergency room, or it may make more sense to see your primary care physician the next day. Many urgent care centers are not equipped to handle certain injuries or illnesses. Consider a specialized facility like Sacramento urgent care for your non-life threatening injuries and illnesses.
Things You’ll Need To Bring
It’s important to be prepared before going to an urgent care center to make your visit go quickly and smoothly. Most centers require patients to bring:
- Photo identification
- A list of current prescriptions
- A list of patient allergies
- Proof of guardianship (for children under 18 who are not with parents)
- Medical history information
- Proof of insurance
- A list of questions you might want to ask
The doctors in these centers like to try to see patients as quickly as possible, so having everything ready ahead of time is a big help. After you check in, you’ll likely wait a little while to be seen. You’ll then be taken to an exam room where you’ll discuss your current issue. If you’re searching for an urgent care center that provides quality care, consider Plush Care.
Urgent Care Is Different Than An Emergency Room
To avoid extensive wait times at the emergency room, you may think it’s a better idea just to go to the urgent care center, where wait times might be shorter. There are reasons to go to an urgent care center over an emergency room, but you should always go to an emergency for:
- Broken or dislocated bones
- Fevers in infants
- Pregnancy complications
- Seizures
- Severe pain
- Fainting or lack of consciousness
- Deep cuts
- Sudden changes in mental state
- Fevers with rash
- Serious burns
- Head or eye injuries
Urgent care centers are great for sprains, sore throats, urinary tract infections, mild asthma, and other non-life threatening conditions.
Check Insurance Coverage
It’s important to make sure your insurance covers your visit to the urgent care center or make sure you have enough money for the visit. It typically costs far less to visit an urgent care center than an emergency room. Each type of health insurance is different in regards to whether or not they cover urgent care. Even if it does cover urgent care, you’ll have to know how much your co-pay will be.
Urgent care centers offer convenience and quick care when the patient does not have life threatening injuries. Sometimes you can treat your problems with home care and avoid even leaving your house, such as with anxiety. Always make sure you go to the right place for the proper care.
Author’s Bio
Jack Mulligan says
It’s good to know that if you can wait a bit, you can go to an urgent care center. I don’t like the emergency room and I’ll avoid it if I can. I’d much rather go to a calm and effective urgent care center.
John says
I think you make a great point how you can call the clinic first and find out if you even warrant a trip to the urgent care. I think this would be helpful since I’m not usually a good judge as to whether or not a visit to the urgent care is necessary. I’ll be sure to utilize this tip in the future for any illness or injury I suspect may need attention.