This seems like the longest winter ever!
In fact, with another snow storm on April 13 and 14, many midwesterners are beginning to think that the entire month of April is a joke, not just the first day. And while there are many people who are still doing their best to find their sense of humor when it comes to the extended Winter of 2018, one thing that really is not that funny is the fact that there are many reports that the flu season is swinging back into action. With more days and weeks of people being stuck inside as they wait for the cold temperatures, wind, and snow to come to an end, it is especially important to make sure that you check out any flu like symptoms. With a visit to a health clinic for children you can see a doctor and discover whether your child’s symptoms are merely a cold or a strain of this season’s flu.
Whether you are looking for a flu shot, a flu test, or a health solution to another problem, it is important to make sure that you get the most affordable, reliable, and convenient care that you can find. And while there may have been a time when the best solution was to wait for an appointment to visit a family physician or pediatrician or to take a trip to the hospital emergency room, today’s health consumers also have other options. For instance, there are a number of walk in clinics that are available to patients of all ages, as well as health clinic for children options that cater to the youngest patients.
One of the reasons that health consumers should avoid hospital emergency rooms for minor injuries and illnesses is the cost. In fact, a recent Medical Expenditure Panel Survey report indicated that the average ER visitor pays total costs of $1,318 and a mean cost of $615. These amount are significantly higher than the cost of visiting a walk in health clinic. The fact that you can fine a health clinic for women and a health clinic for children means that you are able to find a location that will cater to your specific needs in many cities across the nation.
In addition to cost, community health clinics are often much more convenient. In fact, medical walk in clinics are often open more hours than both family physician’s offices and hospitals. Also, the wait at a walk in clinic is almost always much shorter. For example, between the years 2003 and 2009, the mean wait time in emergency rooms went up by 25% from 46.5 minutes to 58.1 minutes.
This has been a long winter in many parts of the country. If you, or someone in your family, is in need of care for flu like systems during the last of these cold days and weeks of winter, make sure that you consider the convenient and affordable option of a walk in health clinic.
