Anyone that is not a medical expert may be confused by the difference between a pediatric emergency room and a medical walk-in clinic. These are two healthcare facilities that provide different services but are falsely synonymous with most people. However, it is important that people stay on top of which facility they should visit based on the severity of their child’s situation.
According to the Urgent Care Association, urgent care centers are now being visited by more people than ever before. Just about 3 million patients will visit them every single week to get medical help from the medical clinic. As a result, there are more urgent care centers slated for construction over the next few years!
In the year of 2012, the most common diagnosis in a medical walk in clinic was an upper respiratory condition and the most common procedure was wound repair. When it comes to serious, life-threatening issues, people should take their child to a pediatric emergency room. However, minor problems can be easily treated by urgent care for kids!
The Similarities Of Pediatric Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care Clinics
One of the similarities between a pediatric emergency room and an urgent care center is their availability. These two facilities are more often than not open almost seven days a week. Emergency rooms have a reputation for staying open so that people can access them at all times when there are severe situations.
Recent research has revealed that just about 85% of all urgent care centers are open nearly seven days a week. So one thing that is common with these facilities involves how often they are open. Another thing they have in common is that they employ talented doctors and workers. Local doctors are incredibly talented and work at your nearest urgent care clinic. Plus, the list of doctors that work at a pediatric emergency room are incredibly talented as well.
A Pediatric Emergency Room May Not Treat Minor Problems
Dizziness is the second most common complaint heard in doctor’s offices and will occur in 70% of the nation’s population at some time in their lives. Most people who have visited an emergency care center for this problem will have tests run and then will be discharged. Emergency rooms do not overlook people’s issues but these are facilities designed to treat life-threating situations.
When it comes to differences, there is one large difference between urgent care centers and the pediatric emergency room. This difference deals with the fact that most emergency rooms will not have the focus of an urgent care center. These are huge facilities that treat problems of great severity every day. So if you are dealing with a minor injury, take it o the urgent care center closes to your home.
Reports estimate that 25,000 Americans suffer from an ankle sprain each day. More than 80% of ankle sprains are a result of inversion, or inward rolling, of the ankle. Luckily for these people, four out of five urgent care centers provide fracture care. Plus, there are currently 20,000 physicians who practice Urgent Care Medicine today.
In Conclusion
Every single year there are people who continue to make serious mistakes when trying to get treatment for their problems. One of the best advantages anyone can have when trying to seek out treatment is being well-versed and knowledgeable as to where they should and should not go!
