For those without medical insurance or a flexible work schedule, finding time to schedule an appointment with a primary care physician often proves to be impossible and, unfortunately, the emergency room becomes the only way to get treatment. While the emergency room is certainly the place to be in the event of a serious injury or illness, it is often counterproductive to go there for a more minor condition or concern. The emergency room has long wait times, ranging from forty five minutes to an hour, and the average wait time increased just between the years of 2003 and 2009, jumping from just over 45 minutes to just under an hour. The emergency room is also often prohibitively expensive with a mean cost of over six hundred dollars. Patients often pay even more, over $1,300 for just one visit.
Fortunately, an after hours urgent care center is an ideal place to receive medical treatment, providing much that the emergency room does not. After hours urgent care is often much more suited to those that work long hours and are not able to seek medical treatment until they are done with their job for the day. Many after hours urgent care centers are even open twenty four hours seven days a week, providing access to medical care at any point in time.
After hours urgent care centers typically provide a wide array of services, such as the typical std testing procedure and std testing for men in particular. Urgent care facilities are typically modern and up to date, and can even perform diagnostic tests like x rays and provide fracture care and care for more serious medical issues. Though most people consider the emergency room the only place to go for a serious injury or illness, after hours urgent care centers are often a viable alternative. Many can provide wound care and they are always able to refer patients for more intensive care and monitoring if necessary. Urgent care centers can also often provide screening for mental illness, such as depression or even dementia, both of which elderly people are more likely to suffer from.
Urgent care provides important access to medical care and treatment that many people would otherwise not have. Contrary to the popular belief of many, urgent care can provide treatment for not only minor medical complaints, but for more serious issues like potential fractures and serious illness as well. Urgent care centers are typically able to provide services like STD testing kits and pregnancy tests as well, allowing people easy access to health information about their own bodies.