No one wants to go through a medical emergency, whether major or minor, but everyone knows what to do if one happens: go to the closest emergency room. However, with the changing state of healthcare, this may no longer be the case. While emergency room care is still the best method of care for major medical problems because of their proximity to specialized hospital centers, minor medical problems are different: emergency rooms fill up quickly and therefore can take long periods of time to treat problems that are judged to be less severe or deadly.
So if you need to treat a minor medical problem, such as a sprain or a broken bone, it may be a waste of time going to an emergency room. Instead, consider going to an urgent care clinic.
Urgent care clinics are a growing force in the United States health care industry: statistics show that the United States urgent care industry is worth an estimated $15 billion dollars. Likewise, there are an estimated 9,000 urgent care facilities looking to expand or open up another location. Business for these medical clinics is so good because they offer a variety of services, from giving a patient a flu shot to treating minor cuts, breaks, and sprains. Even better, urgent care centers in the United States are required by the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine to be open for business 7 days a week, making them extremely accessible to those who need care. Additionally, many urgent care centers are located in medical plazas and retail centers, only increasing their accessibility.
53% of urgent care centers in the United States have been open for more than five years, meaning that they are well on their way to becoming a staying factor in the health care field. From flu shots to splints, urgent care facilities offer services the average emergency room service are unable to provide in a timely manner. Additionally, by going to an urgent care facility instead of an emergency room, hospitals are better able to provide emergency room services to those who are undergoing more serious medical problems. Next time you experience a minor medical emergency or need a basic service, such as a flu shot, visit an urgent care center instead. More like this blog.