Taking good care of your health means being proactive.
You shouldn’t wait until you’re in a lot of pain before seeing a doctor. There are simple, effective ways of nipping serious health issues in the bud, well before you start leaning to the harsher end of the pain scale. There are also ways of getting more insight into your personal health regimen. The best part about it all? You don’t have to wait to set an appointment with your regular doctor to receive effective, insightful medical care.
Urgent care clinics are designed from the ground up to be an affordable, simple way of improving your health. Let’s see what just one visit can do for you in the long-term.
Fast Facts About Urgent Care
Healthcare services don’t have to be expensive or inconvenient. Thanks to urgent care you’re able to get a wide variety of services in a short amount of time, all with the added benefit of reducing stress in your busy life. According to the recent Urgent Care Association’s 2017 Benchmarking Report Summary, over 90% of all urgent care centers have a wait time of 30 minutes or less. Just the prior fiscal year the American urgent care collective reported an average of 15,000 patient visits. When you’re uninsured or just worried about a recent symptom, there are several of these locations you can talk to.
Ask For A Check-Up Or Physical
The first thing you can do when reaching out to healthcare services is asking for a consultation. This is a great way to get a more well-rounded look into your health and what could be fixed. Chronic pain should be checked with a physical — a nurse can ask about your symptoms and determine whether you need surgery or physical therapy. Anything else, such as nausea or eye problems, can be done with an overall check-up. According to a recent 2016 survey, over 75% of urgent care patients reported their care as either being ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.
Request An Update To Vaccinations
Do you worry about getting sick? It never hurts to double-check your vaccinations and make sure they’re up-to-date. Some vaccinations need to be done gradually, such as the HPV shot and its three doses. Others need to be obtained on a yearly basis to keep up with the mutating virus strain, such as the flu vaccine. According to the Urgent Care Association Of America’s 2016 Benchmarking Report, there are over 7,300 urgent care centers available today.
Address Any Minor Issues You Have Now
Let’s say you’ve been struggling with a troubling rash this past week. Perhaps you have a headache that refuses to go away or persistent nausea that affects your work. Even though you’re not in severe pain, it never hurts to reach out to a medical professional and make sure it doesn’t get worse. A recent study found around 95% of patients who visit urgent care centers are in the right place for the treatment they need. This is a very hopeful prediction, as too many today are still losing money on expensive emergency room treatment.
Double-Check The Urgent Care Center Schedules In Your Area
Getting the most out of your healthcare means using the right ones at the right time. Your regular doctor is important for physicals, long-term issues, and check-ups. The emergency room should be used in case of a life-threatening situation, such as an allergic reaction to food or a puncture wound. The urgent care clinic fits neatly in-between the two, providing preventative care and treatment for moderate issues. Consider looking into urgent care locations in your area and checking their weekly schedule.
You’ll have a low bill, fast treatment, and long-term peace-of-mind to look forward to.