When a sudden injury to your bones, muscles or joints occurs, your first impulse may be to rush to the nearest emergency room for diagnosis and treatment. But there’s a better alternative that can save you time and money, while ensuring you get the medical attention you need.
Currently, there are more than 9,000 urgent care clinics in the US – many of them providing orthopedic services – and that number is expected to grow over the next few years.
Here are several reasons why you should choose an orthopedic urgent care center over an ER for your critical orthopedic health needs:
• You’ll save time. At an urgent care facility, you’re attended to on a walk-in basis, without an appointment. Urgent care centers are usually open seven days a week and have flexible hours from morning to evening. That’s convenient when you need immediate medical assistance or when you have a busy schedule and you’re pressed for time. Most importantly, wait times to see a provider at an urgent care clinic is typically no more than 30 minutes, much less than typically experienced at a hospital’s emergency room.
• You’ll receive convenient, comprehensive care. Most urgent care centers offer X-rays and lab testing on-site. That helps speed up diagnosis and treatment. Also, many urgent care clinics will even refill your prescriptions.
• It’ll save you money. Pricing at urgent care clinics is reasonable compared to emergency rooms, which may have hidden charges, including doctor and staff fees. In fact, a recent study found that ER costs are approximately 700 percent higher than for the same level of quality care provided at an urgent care facility. Also, co-pays are lower at urgent care centers, and medical insurance covers clinical care charges.
• Urgent care centers are more conveniently located. Chances are, there’s an urgent care center close to your home. While the majority of hospitals and emergency rooms are in urban areas, urgent care centers are located in urban, suburban and rural districts across America. That makes traveling to one much less time-consuming.
When You Should Choose Orthopedic Urgent Care Over ER
Emergency rooms are recommended only for true medical emergencies that are severe or life-threatening, such as if you:
• Are experiencing chest pains or shortness of breath
• Are having a heart attack
• Have abdominal pain
• Have sustained a head or other serious traumatic injury
• Are bleeding profusely
An urgent care clinic can handle all other health issues, and one that specializes in orthopedic services should be your go-to facility for strains, sprains, fractures, and neck or back pain.
Have an orthopedic need or concern? Come see us at Patient Care Now Urgent Care in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. We are open from 8 am – 8 pm, seven days a week. Owned and operated by board-certified emergency medicine providers, we pride ourselves in providing a seamless medical experience to our patients. Call us at (267) 202-6433 for all your urgent care needs, or use our online check-in form.
