Our medical treatment options have expanded over the years. When we were injured or ill, we used to have only two options. We could wait until an appointment opened up with our primary care physician or we could head to the emergency room, often waiting for hours until we were seen by a medical professional. It seemed like choosing between the two extremes was our only option. If we had a minor injury or illness that did not warrant an emergency room visit, but had to wait weeks to see our regular physician, we simply did not have any other options. Urgent care centers are developed all around the country, filling that empty space of medical needs.
Urgent care centers have filled a void in the medical care field. Those patients who are ill or injured not have a more convenient treatment option. They do not have to visit an emergency department, waiting for many hours for a minor condition. They also do not have to miss work or sit in their physician?s office for hours, waiting to be seen. The urgent care centers have more convenient hours than traditional physician?s offices, but do not require scheduled appointments. Additionally, they are made specifically for minor illnesses and injuries.
The convenient medical treatment of urgent care centers also free up the emergency rooms for more serious of medical treatments. Emergency room wait times are often high, because so many people seek after hour?s medical care. According to a private study conducted by Millman, approximately 44 to 65% of all ER episodes could have been treated in urgent care clinic settings. Emergency department visits should be reserved for those patients who are experiencing life threatening symptoms of conditions or those who require advanced diagnostic and laboratory services.
Emergency room visits can also be very expensive. Many people without insurance may opt for the emergency room, because they are not required to pay on the spot. They may not be able to afford the services of their regular physician?s office. As a result, they are left with very expensive emergency department bills. An urgent care treatable case handled in a hospital emergency room costs an average of $2,039, while the same case treated in an urgent care facility would run approximately $226. The patient can save a lot of money by carefully considering which medical care setting is appropriate for their medical needs.
The convenient medical treatment plan of urgent care centers has also increased the demand for physicians. Physicians are needed to staff all of the up and coming urgent care centers. The U.S. likely will need almost 52,000 additional primary care physicians by 2025 to meet the country?s health care utilization needs. That?s the conclusion reached by a team of researchers whose work is highlighted in an article titled, Projecting U.S. Primary Care Physician Workforce Needs for 2010 to 2025. The convenient quality and cost of urgent care centers is expected to increase in popularity over the next few years.
Urgent cares are available for a variety of medical conditions. The convenient medical treatment options of urgent care centers can include things like family urgent care services, pediatric urgent care and care for minor injuries and illnesses. The convenient medical treatment provides a nice alternative to long wait times and the high costs of emergence departments.
Urgent care centers have filled a void in the medical care industry. Patients used to have the option between waiting for an appointment with their primary physician and waiting for hours at their local emergency department to see a physician. Today however, patients can utilize the convenience and low prices of their local urgent care medical setting. Urgent care settings provide medical care for minor injuries and illnesses, family care and pediatric care. They are a great option for those who have medical concerns that do not warrant a visit to the emergency room, but cannot wait for an open appointment time with their regular physician.
