Average time it takes to be seen by a provider
Verified providers with a 4.8 average rating
In the business of finding quality care for patients
Urgent care is usually for conditions or injuries that require care within 24 hours. These conditions could be sore throat, cold, flu, urinary tract infections, conjunctivitis, insect bites, ear infections etc. Contrary to emergency departments, urgent care is only for non-life threatening situations. Urgent care is meant to be a support to the care you get from your regular doctor.
Yes! Urgent care centers also take appointments. If you want a seamless visit with shorter wait times, consider booking an appointment through Zocdoc at your preferred date and time.
Most urgent care centers are open after hours. To find urgent care in Denver after 5 pm, use Zocdoc’s “More filters” to filter only those providers and centers that offer their services in the evening, i.e after 5 pm.
The cost of an urgent care visit varies depending on several factors such as insurance, treatments, procedures and services. There is no standard cost. However, on average the cost of one visit to an urgent care center in Denver would cost between $150 and $250 without insurance.
With so many insurance carriers and plans, finding urgent care in Denver that takes your particular insurance can be a hassle; but do not worry, Zocdoc got your back! Use the drop-down insurance menu to select your carrier and plan in just two clicks. Then sit back as Zocdoc provides you with a list of all the urgent care providers and centers in your vicinity that accept your insurance.
Many urgent care centers or providers have the option of virtual visits. This means that you can get the care you need from the comfort of your home. To find clinics and providers offering virtual appointments for urgent care in Denver, just look for a purple icon on their Zocdoc profile, or you could filter by video visits within the Zocdoc platform.
Late morning or early afternoon on weekdays are the times when urgent care centers are the least busy. This is because most people visit in the morning and around dinner time since it is the time before or right after work or school. Late evening is also a busy time since most doctors’ offices are closed and urgent care is the alternative that people rely on.
It is recommended to visit an urgent care center within the first 24 hours of noticing symptoms or getting hurt. To find the best time for you to visit an urgent care center on the same day, use Zocdoc to look for available slots in the urgent care center of your choosing.
People can require urgent medical care at any time. If your condition is not a medical emergency (in other words, you are not at risk of significant harm or death), an urgent care clinic may be the ideal care venue. After all, a prompt response is the need of the hour, as even non-life-threatening injuries can worsen over time or lead to lost days at school or work.
But what are the most common conditions treated at urgent care centers? Patients often see an urgent care physician for conditions such as:
Many people also visit an urgent care site for a health checkup — especially if they can't find an appointment with their family doctors. Others see the center for an X-ray or lab investigation.
You may need clarification about what to expect at an urgent medical center. Urgent care centers have several types of medical personnel, including at least one physician. Generally, the staff includes nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and doctors. Technicians or radiologists may also be present at some centers, especially if they offer lab services. However, in some cases (such as in rural or remote areas), the nurse practitioners may be the most trained healthcare provider at the center.
Upon sudden injury or illness, your first instinct would be to access emergency care. However, emergency and urgent care are two sides of the same coin. To clarify where exactly you need to go, the difference between visiting emergency care and urgent care is in the:
Emergency departments offer services for concerns such as uncontrolled bleeding, sudden paralysis or weakness, seizures, shortness of breath, or seizures. Urgent care clinics deal with cuts and minor burns, skin conditions, sprains, joint pain, upper respiratory infection, vomiting, or other minor concerns.
On the other hand, urgent care clinics are equipped with physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses. These clinics have set hours and a list of conditions they would treat. Although these centers offer services after hours and on weekends, they cannot deal with significant health conditions or traumas. Urgent care clinics are less costly and have shorter wait times than emergency departments.
Here are a few things to keep in mind while choosing an urgent care physician:
Urgent care centers provide accessible healthcare services 24*7. However, you must consider a few factors before choosing to visit them. Understanding that not all urgent care centers may offer the same services and costs or house the necessary specialists for your condition is crucial. Hence, you can go through the following to ensure a fruitful visit:
Finding the best urgent care practitioner for your needs can be challenging. If you need prompt medical attention, or if this is your first time at such a center, there is no need to worry. With Zocdoc, you can quickly learn more about a provider's background — such as their education, medical training, awards, licenses, board certifications, and more.
With Zocdoc, finding a good and reliable urgent care near you is easy. Our platform is optimized to search through hundreds of top-rated practitioners in and around Denver. The process is quick and easy — just type in keywords like "Denver" and "urgent care," Zocdoc will guide you to a list of practitioners that meet your needs. Booking appointments on Zocdoc is completely free!
Choose Zocdoc. After all, selecting the right doctor is the first step to recovery.
In 2015, the Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA) reported that 92% of urgent care centers had a reported wait time of under 30 minutes. Further, at most other practices, urgent care centers have longer working hours than regular business hours, making them a more convenient alternative to scheduling an appointment with a primary care physician. It is especially true when patients are looking for same-day appointments or cannot manage work leave.
The UCAOA report also mentions that only 3% of patients who had visited an urgent care center had to be referred to an emergency care center. The National Public Radio (NPR) conducted a survey in 2016. According to this survey, one in five respondents could not see a primary care physician in the past two years due to the unavailability of appointments.
Another study in 2010 published by the National Institutes of Health reported that urgent care centers had seen a significant number of cases related to musculoskeletal conditions (21.5%). These include fractures, muscle pain, joint pain, or strains. Dermatological conditions, including burns or lacerations, are also commonly reported by urgent care centers (9.7%). Urgent care centers rarely report visits for preventive services.
Regarding medical prescriptions, one in five (41.5%) prescriptions written at urgent care centers were for antimicrobials, including antibiotics. Approximately one in five (18.9%) prescriptions were for central nervous system agents (most commonly included pain relief medication). It has also been observed that the medical costs of a visit to the urgent care center expenses are significantly lower than those incurred at the emergency department.
American Board of Physician Specialists
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.