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What is Urgent Care?

Key Points

  • Urgent care centers serve as a bridge between traditional physicians and emergency rooms, providing extended hours and offering services such as immunizations and x-rays.
  • When choosing an urgent care center, consider the type of care you need, the services offered, patient reviews, and whether the center is certified. Practical factors such as insurance acceptance, provider types, operation hours, location, advance booking, specific treatments offered, and sharing of medical records with your primary care provider should also be considered.
  • Online search tools like Solv can be used to find an urgent care center that meets your needs, and many centers now offer online check-ins for appointments.
  • Urgent care centers are not equipped for certain medical conditions, such as loss of consciousness, labor and birthing, uncontrollable bleeding, heart attack or chest pain, and stroke. These conditions require emergency room care.
  • Urgent care is a crucial part of the U.S. healthcare system, providing an alternative for uninsured patients and those needing care outside of regular office hours.

Urgent care is often considered the bridge between traditional physicians and emergency rooms. Most likely, your primary care physician does not offer extended hours. Only 36% of doctors in the United States choose to do so. However, you might need urgent medical care that does not require an emergency room. That is what an urgent care center is used for primarily.

What is Urgent Care?

Key Points

  • Urgent care centers serve as a bridge between traditional physicians and emergency rooms, providing extended hours and offering services such as immunizations and x-rays.
  • When choosing an urgent care center, consider the type of care you need, the services offered, patient reviews, and whether the center is certified. Practical factors such as insurance acceptance, provider types, operation hours, location, advance booking, specific treatments offered, and sharing of medical records with your primary care provider should also be considered.
  • Online search tools like Solv can be used to find an urgent care center that meets your needs, and many centers now offer online check-ins for appointments.
  • Urgent care centers are not equipped for certain medical conditions, such as loss of consciousness, labor and birthing, uncontrollable bleeding, heart attack or chest pain, and stroke. These conditions require emergency room care.
  • Urgent care is a crucial part of the U.S. healthcare system, providing an alternative for uninsured patients and those needing care outside of regular office hours.

Urgent care is often considered the bridge between traditional physicians and emergency rooms. Most likely, your primary care physician does not offer extended hours. Only 36% of doctors in the United States choose to do so. However, you might need urgent medical care that does not require an emergency room. That is what an urgent care center is used for primarily.

What is Urgent Care?

If your regular physician is closed but you do not need emergency care, then an urgent care center is a good choice. They provide extended hours and, in most areas of the country, offer convenient locations for patients.

Urgent care centers are also a great choice for people who need immunizations. From the influenza shot to the bird flu vaccine, urgent care centers can inform and immunize patients.

While some people go to the ER for broken bones, they can choose urgent care locations with x-ray machines. It is much less expensive than an ER, and the service is much faster.

How to Choose an Urgent Care Center?

Urgent care centers are each different and are owned by different parties. While some locations offer x-rays and board certified doctors, others might not have those options. When you choose a location, you should consider the type of care you need, the services that are offered at the location, any sort of patient ratings or reviews about the specific center or even whether or not the location is certified.

A few practical factors to consider when when selecting an urgent care center are as follows:

  • Determine whether or not they accept your insurance
  • Understand what type of providers work at the urgent care center
  • See if their hours of operation work for your schedule
  • Find if their location is convenient to you
  • Determine if they allow for advance bookings
  • Ask if they perform the specific treatment, test or service you are looking for
  • Make sure they will share medical records with your primary care provider

You can use the online search tools at Solv and filter capabilities to find an urgent care location that meets your needs. Check online to see if they allow online check-ins for appointments, as many centers now have that service.

When Should I to Go to an Emergency Room?

Knowing when to go to an emergency room is important. Urgent care centers are not equipped for certain medical conditions. Here are examples of care that should be received from emergency rooms:

  • Loss of Consciousness
  • Labor and birthing
  • Uncontrollable Bleeding
  • Heart Attack or Chest Pain
  • Stroke

Urgent care is an important aspect of medical care in the United States today. It offers uninsured patients a choice other than emergency rooms, and it offers extended hours for people who need care on weekends or after five at night.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the primary function of an urgent care center?

    An urgent care center primarily serves as a bridge between traditional physicians and emergency rooms, providing urgent medical care during extended hours when a patient's primary care physician may not be available and the situation does not require an emergency room visit.
  • What services do urgent care centers typically provide?

    Urgent care centers typically provide services like immunizations, and some even have x-ray machines for diagnosing broken bones. They offer extended hours and are usually conveniently located for patients.
  • How can I choose the right urgent care center for my needs?

    When choosing an urgent care center, consider the type of care you need, the services offered at the location, patient ratings or reviews, and whether the location is certified. Practical factors to consider include whether they accept your insurance, the type of providers working there, their hours of operation, location convenience, whether they allow advance bookings, whether they perform the specific treatment you need, and if they will share medical records with your primary care physician.
  • Can I find and book an appointment with an urgent care center online?

    Yes, many urgent care centers allow online check-ins for appointments. You can use online search tools like Solv to find an urgent care location that meets your needs.
  • When should I choose an emergency room over an urgent care center?

    You should go to an emergency room for certain medical conditions that urgent care centers are not equipped to handle. These include loss of consciousness, labor and birthing, uncontrollable bleeding, heart attacks or chest pain, and strokes.
  • Do urgent care centers accept insurance?

    Yes, many urgent care centers do accept insurance. However, it's important to check with the specific center to ensure they accept your insurance before receiving care.
  • Can urgent care centers perform x-rays?

    Yes, some urgent care centers have x-ray machines and can perform x-rays for diagnosing conditions like broken bones.
  • Do all urgent care centers offer the same services?

    No, services can vary between urgent care centers. Some may offer x-rays and have board certified doctors, while others may not. It's important to check what services are offered at a specific location before choosing an urgent care center.
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