When an illness or injury strikes and it’s after your doctor’s office hours, you often can’t wait until the next day for treatment. With approximately 6.8 million broken bones in the U.S. each year, and only 29% of primary-care physicians offering after-hours care, it’s no wonder that urgent care centers have become so popular. However, that’s not the only reason to visit your local urgent care facility.
- Prescriptions and Antibiotics Dispensed At Point-Of-Care – Urgent care centers have medications and antibiotics on hand for many common ailments, meaning they’ll be able to treat you and send you home with the the medicine that will help you feel better soon. They don’t have to call in a prescription, and you won’t have to wait until the pharmacy opens up.
- Saving Money – Urgent care clinics accept insurance, but they’ll also cost less than if you chose to go to the emergency room. Typically, a visit to the ER costs $1,500, while a visit to an urgent care center is, on average, under $150.
- Register Online and Save Time – Everybody has sat in a doctor’s waiting room filling out page after page of paperwork. This is not a fun activity for anyone, but especially when you’re not feeling well. Plus, it’s often difficult to remember medications and family history on the spot. But all of this can be resolved by pre-registering online, meaning you’ll have a better chance of getting right in to see the doctor as soon as you walk through the door.
- Confidentiality – Sometimes, you may feel a little uncomfortable seeing your regular physician about certain matters. In that case, you can trust that your local urgent care clinic will be able to provide you with the care you need, with the strictest of confidentiality. They can administer an STD test, or a pregnancy test, provide quick results, and you’ll be able to avoid any embarrassment you may feel, facing your PCP.
