Getting into the see the doctor for a medical issue is something that many people consider to be quite important indeed. Even in cases where the concern is not necessarily life threatening, it can certainly be good to get a professional opinion, and, if possible, a course of treatment. In fact, such things can be essential to prevent any given medical problem, be it in relation to illness or injury, from worsening and becoming much more serious (something that can actually happen far more quickly than many people actually realize.
Unfortunately, getting this hugely necessary medical care is not always as easy as one might think. For one thing, where do you go if your family doctor’s office is closed for the day or for the weekend or even for a holiday? While many people will think that the answer lies in the emergency room closest to them, this is not always ideal. While the emergency room is certainly essential and should be utilized for true medical emergencies, going there with a more minor complaint can clog up the waiting room and is something that has pushed average waiting times to more than one hour before seeing a doctor becomes possible. And going to the ER often means spending a great deal of money as well, as the average emergency room visit now exceeds $1,000 – sometimes by a great amount.
Fortunately, there are a growing number of options for medical care out there. For one thing, more and more general care practitioners and family practice doctors are deciding to keep their practices open later into the day. As a matter of fact, the data that has been gathered on the subject fully supports this, as it shows that 40% of all general care doctors are actually now keeping their offices open for extended hours, both in the evenings and sometimes even on the weekends. This is something, of course, that is hugely beneficial indeed for those who are looking for convenient medical care at the hands of someone they trust.
In many cases, the virtual doctor is also on the rise. In fact, many a GP or family doctor will even be instituting virtual medicine, something that many patients will utilize – if they can get in touch with their own doctor or someone else in the practice instead of a stranger. As these doctors will know the medical history of the patient in question – something that up to two thirds of all patients agree is necessary to be in the hands of any given online doctor – they can provide comprehensive and accurate virtual medical advice in many a situation.
And if you’re still not comfortable with virtual care, you can always go get on-demand care at your nearest 24 hour urgent care center. A 24 hour urgent care center is actually something that is becoming more and more prominent in the world. While not all urgent care locations are 24 hours, many are – and there are now more than 7,000 urgent care locations found throughout this one country alone. Therefore, it is safe to say that a 24 hour urgent care location might be easily found in your community as well.
The 24 hour urgent care center can provide comprehensive medical care, much more so than many people realize. For instance, the average 24 urgent care center is likely to be able to treat a wide array of illnesses, ranging from the common cold to the flu to an ear infection or UTI. In addition to this, 24 hour urgent care centers can also treat a variety of illnesses, with up to 80% of all urgent care centers in general, including 24 hour urgent care centers, able to provide fracture care. Ultimately, this means that many 24 hour urgent care centers can provide a great deal of help and care for those who are not able to get in to see their family practice doctors or general care practitioners.