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When you have a sick kid, the last thing you want to hear is that the next available appointment is 2-3 weeks out. And isn’t it always the case that kids get sick just after dinner, right before bed? Your regular pediatrician isn’t around then! That’s why pediatric urgent care centers are opening up all over the country. When your pediatrician is closed on nights, weekends and holidays, these are there when you need them. And you can just walk-in with no appointment needed.

Just like an adult urgent care, the industry segment is growing wildly and in great demand by families seeking same day and next day access to doctors and qualified healthcare providers.

Pediatric urgent care centers usually have a defined patient population with ages between 1 and 18 years old, however some clinics extend their services to both newborns and young adults up to age 21. As an urgent care, these pediatric clinics generally focus on treatment of minor injuries and illnesses including cold and flu symptoms, ear infections, breaks, sprains, stomach pain, etc. However, they usually offer preventive and routine services like annual, school and sports physicians for kids and flu shots and other immunizations.

Pediatric Urgent Care Guide

Services & Pricing

Urgent care centers, which are part of the walk-in clinic healthcare category, are a convenient resource for consumers needing treatment for minor illnesses and injuries. Services that you would normally receive at your pediatricians office are usually available at a pediatric urgent care including annual and school physicals, flu shots and immunizations, treatment for illnesses including colds, flu stomach pains, sinus and ear infections and more. Your children can also be seen for injuries such as burns, bites, sprains and breaks - things that you might first thing to go to the emergency room vs urgent care, but you’ll have a shorter wait and smaller bill at the urgent care. As for cost, without insurance, you should expect between $100-140 for your visit, plus the cost of any labs, tests or images. With insurance, urgent care will be similar to seeing a specialist with applicable co-pay.

What is pediatric urgent care?
Pediatric Urgent Care Vs. Adult Urgent Care
How much does urgent care cost?

Insurance & Payments

Just like a traditional (or adult) urgent care center, pediatric clinics usually all accept commercial health insurance plans. Medicare usually isn’t applicable given the typical age of patients and their parents, however. If you have insurance coverage, you can expect the financial exposure and payment process to be similar to visiting a medical specialist where you have a co-pay, likely between $35-50, due at the time of the visit, prior to seeing a physician. Additionally services like lab work, x-rays, and tests will be first billed against your insurance with any balance and any supplemental balance due will be invoiced to you after the fact. Without insurance, you’ll pay a visit fee between $100-140 at the time of your visit. This is typically 25-50% more than your primary care provider, but usually the convenience is well worth the additional cost.

Is urgent care covered by insurance?
Do urgent care centers accept medicare?
Navigating urgent care without insurance

Hours & Wait Times

Every pediatric urgent care center, including those part of larger brands or groups, often have different hours. While they are meant to be conveniently accessible during times when your pediatrician is not, it is highly variable. While general urgent care centers are usually open 6 to 7 days a week between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm, pediatric clinics are a little different in that they offer an after hours schedule, perhaps 5 pm to midnight during the week and noon to midnight on weekends. It’s always best to call in advance, however. As for wait time, most patients report waiting between 15-45 minutes on average, but that can certainly vary, as well. It’s usually best to find a pediatric urgent care near you to either confirm the hours online, or call the clinic directly to verify. Or, you can book a same day doctor appointment online with Solv.

Average urgent care wait time
Are urgent care centers open 24 hours?
Do I need an appointment for urgent care?

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Pediatric Urgent Care FAQs

  • What Is Pediatric Urgent Care?

    Pediatric urgent care operators generally complement regular pediatricians, most of whom are open within typical business hours (e.g. from 9 am - 5 pm Monday to Friday). These healthcare professionals help with those late night child emergencies that would otherwise require a trip to the emergency room. Pediatric urgent care facilities treat both minor and severe health conditions in children. They are typically open until midnight and throughout the weekend even when regular pedestrians are closed. These children's doctors, without doubt, save parents the unnecessary and painful trips to the emergency room.

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  • What Is the Difference between an Urgent Care Facility and an Emergency Room?

    The real difference between a pediatric urgent care facility and an emergency room is in the patient experience. A typical emergency room wait time is nearly two and a half hours. With a pediatric urgent care, however, the patient will receive treatment in 15-45 minutes.

    Another fundamental difference between an urgent care facility and an emergency room is the cost. Normally, the former will cost just a fraction of what the latter will do. However, in the case of a serious health emergency, patients should visit an emergency room as opposed to an urgent care facility. This is because urgent care facilities are only designed for non-emergent and minor illnesses as well as injuries.

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  • What are Common Issues Treated at Pediatric Urgent Care?

    You may be worried that your toddler is getting sick more often than they used to, but that is not the case. The truth is that children will get sick, especially once they begin school and their immune systems are exposed to health conditions that exist in crowded environments. These conditions may range from common colds, flu, strep throat, ear and sinus infections, pink eye and pneumonia, all of which can be got rid of with a quick trip to pediatric urgent care clinic near you.

    Pediatric urgent care clinics can also treat stings and bug bites, allergic reactions, cuts and burns, swallowed objects, sprains, and broken bones and many other conditions as well as injuries.

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  • 10 Ways to Keep Your Kids Out of the Urgent Care

    There are many ways to keep children healthy and avoid health problems and emergencies. Simple things such as washing hands, proper hydration and getting enough sleep can go a very long way in ensuring children are healthy. Eating well-balanced diets, managing stress, getting the necessary immunizations and avoiding smokers are great ways for toddlers to avert many conditions.

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  • How Much Does an Urgent Care Cost?

    The cost of urgent care ranges between $75 and $150, depending on the location of a facility. Of course, this applies only to cash-paying patients. The quality and standards of healthcare remain the same across the board though.

    However, most facilities will charge between $100 and $125 for treatments without an insurance cover. Do note, however, that this is the base price for the basic services offered by urgent care clinics. It does not include additional services like medication and immunization injections, lab tests, and X-rays. Stitches, sprains and broken bones will also add to the cost of urgent care.

    Even patients with an insurance cover will have to make co-payments as opposed to having all the costs billed to their insurer. Normally, the payments will range from $20-50, depending on a patient’s plan and whether they are in network with the provider.

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  • Is Insurance Accepted At Urgent Care Centers?

    Insurance companies determine to cover or not to cover urgent care costs. A patient’s insurance provider may not cover the costs. In that case, the urgent care center will accept nothing except cash. However, in most cases, insurance companies will cover urgent care so that patients do not have to pay much with each visit to a care center.

    Sometimes, though very rare, an urgent care center may choose not to accept an insurance cover, even if it covers this type of care. Therefore, it is always best to call and be certain before making a trip to a care center.

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