Over the past few years, more and more urgent care facilities have been replacing doctor’s offices and hospitals as the primary source of medical attention for many Americans. Today there are thousands of urgent care centers dispersed around the nation, offering you and your family reliable, affordable health care quickly. But what is an urgent care facility and how are they able to provide urgent medical care?
Faster Care
Nearly 60% of all urgent care centers have an average wait time of less than 15 minutes, and 80% of all visits are completed in 60 minutes or less. Since 65% of urgent care facilities will have a on-site physician at all times, patients can receive professional care without having to deal with the stress of a doctor’s office or the bills of the emergency room.
Reliable Hours
Statistics show that over 66% of urgent care centers open before 9:00 am during the week with most remaining open until 7:00 pm or later; two out of every five facilities are open until 9:00 pm if not later. Many facilities are even open on weekends, giving patients the open availability that a doctor’s office is unable to provide.
Comprehensive Medicine
An urgent care facility must be well-stocked in order to provide for a diverse array of medical issues. Seven out of every ten urgent care centers have the capability to provide intravenous fluids as needed. Four out of five centers can provide fracture care as well. Like a doctor’s office, urgent care facilities are able to prescribe medication to patients; 40% of urgent care centers use an electronic prescription ordering system that allows them to view lab work, collect patient demographics, cover billing, and other helpful features that allow urgent care facilities to aid patients. So how are urgent care facilities able to offer this level of care? Simply put, nearly half of all centers are owned by physicians who truly want to ensure that everyone can receive the medical attention they need.