When the doctor’s office closes, after hours urgent care centers are there to provide medical assistance. They’re an important resource that’s available to anyone who needs medical care but cannot wait for the doctor’s office to reopen the next day. In addition to providing important services that free emergency rooms, they also provide valuable services that would normally mean taking a trip to the hospital. Below are just a few ways urgent care centers are providing people with the after-hours assistance they require.
Is that Something Serious?
A cough can be from a tickle in the throat, or it could be the warning sign of a serious condition. Abdominal pain might mean appendicitis, or it could be a stomach flu. Most people won’t know whether something is serious or not, but the medical professionals can help them. However, what can patients do when they have these nagging questions after regular office hours? The answer is simple: They can visit the local after hours urgent care center. The staff doctors can review the condition, look at the vitals and give patients valuable advice. If the condition is something serious, they can expedite a visit to the emergency room, or they can send the patient home with the knowledge that it’s nothing serious.
Immediate Treatment for Accidents
Accidents can happen anytime, and people may want to see their doctor to be checked out and make sure they’re okay. When the doctor’s not available, an urgent care center can help. They can treat most minor injuries, including stitching wounds and setting broken arms. The waits are shorter than most emergency rooms, and the cost of care is also more affordable. Before visiting the ER after an accident, patients are encouraged to visit the urgent care for assistance.
Shorter Waits, No Appointment Necessary
Problems don’t always arise after regular hours. Sometimes, the medial situation occurs during the day, but patients cannot make it home while the doctor is open, or there are no appointments available for more than a week. When this happens, patients can visit the urgent care center and receive care when they need it.
Alleviating Lines at the Emergency Room
In the past, these little emergencies would prompt people to visit the emergency room. This placed an incredible burden on ER centers as they became bogged down with people looking for non-emergency care. The rise of urgent cares takes the non-emergency cases out of the ER and moves them to another facility. The dedicated staff at the urgent care center is available to treat these issues, and the ER staff is free to handle true emergencies that need immediate care and attention.
Urgent care centers provide important services. With their help, patients don’t have to wait to see their doctor the next day or book an appointment that’s weeks away. They can receive the quality care they need at affordable prices. At the same time, after hours urgent care centers alleviate long lines in the emergency rooms and allow medical staff to take care of serious emergencies. Urgent care centers benefit everyone by providing valuable services when the doctor’s office is not open for business or they cannot see patients.
