Why do patients visit urgent care centers?
Prior to the rise of urgent care medical centers, patients who needed medical attention after working hours (or on the weekend) would typically visit the ER (emergency room) at a local hospital. As a result, emergency rooms were frequently overcrowded with non-emergency cases, such as mild to moderate infections, fractures, burns, and lacerations. Over time, this led to longer wait times, more expensive treatment plans, and inefficiencies in the US healthcare system.
In response, emergency departments triage patients with non-life-threatening conditions. Therefore, you may have to face long wait times and administrative hurdles at the ER — especially if your condition is not a medical emergency, i.e., it does not pose an immediate risk to your life. In contrast, urgent care centers provide same-day, effective medical care. Urgent care centers treat patients whose conditions may worsen within 12-24 hours in the absence of an intervention, even though the patient does not risk significant harm or death. This is why more and more patients visit urgent care clinics these days.
Seeking care at an ER may also explain people's financial woes. In fact, more than 75 million people reportedly have trouble paying off medical debt — which is, arguably, the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States. In comparison, urgent care centers can provide accessible and cost-effective care to patients without worrying about factors like time and cost. As per the Urgent Care Association, the number of urgent care facilities boosted from 6,400 in 2014 to 8,100 in 2018. As measured by revenue, the market size of the critical care centers industry will be $38.5 billion in 2021.
Retail clinics are another emerging alternative to the ER. In principle, retail clinics are similar to urgent care centers, as both provide convenient, on-demand care. However, urgent care clinics can also handle more severe problems such as fractures, sprains, and wounds; retail clinics are often limited to treating low-acuity conditions like a sore throat, cough, or mild upper respiratory infections. Further, urgent care centers also offer many diagnostic services that are absent in retail clinics. Such services include blood tests, sutures, injury care, and screening tests like X-rays, MRI, and CT scans. Additionally, some urgent care centers even offer immunizations and tests for food and drug allergies, as well as pap smear tests. The staff at an urgent care center includes:
- Urgent care medicine specialists
- Registered nurses
- Sports medicine doctors
- Specialists in internal medicine
- Laboratory and radiology technicians
- Nurse practitioners
Urgent care clinics are crucial in providing healthcare when the family doctor is unavailable. However, they are not a replacement for the emergency room or primary care physician. Urgent care physicians may direct patients to a specialist facility or the ER — for instance, when their condition becomes critical or they require long-term care.
Studies have provided evidence that urgent care centers are comparatively less expensive than hospital emergency rooms and, in some cases, even doctors' offices. Urgent care centers often accept insurance, helping you save on medical expenses. In summary, urgent care facilities can provide high-quality treatment for non-life-threatening illnesses, often at a fraction of the cost of a trip to the ER.
On average, the costs of an ER visit can range from hundreds to even thousands of dollars. An emergency hospital visit for allergies, for example, would cost about $345; in sharp contrast, a consultation at an urgent care facility would cost around $97. Similarly, a customer would have to spend $665 in ER settings and $112 in UCCs to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Emergency department or urgent care center: Where to go for your symptoms?
Whether you need urgent or emergency care will depend on the type and severity of symptoms you have been experiencing. An urgent care facility can help resolve issues that do not require immediate medical attention. These include- minor injuries, chronic and acute illnesses, or any unusual symptoms that cause discomfort or pain. Urgent care is generally considered the middle ground between an emergency room (ER) and your primary care physician. It acts as a good option if you have illnesses or injuries without additional symptoms or if you do not have any other serious underlying health issues.
Consider finding urgent care near you for the following reasons:
- If you have a mild cold or cough or when your cold does not resolve in a few days
- If you often suffer from headaches or migraines
- Joint pain or pain in the back and neck
- If you have a high or persistent fever that won't go with home remedies or over-the-counter medications
- If you need a chronic condition such as diabetes managed
- If you need to change your medications or get prescription refills
- If you need a vaccination or other preventive care services
- Mild wheezing problems
- Stomach ache
- Mild burns or minor lacerations
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Acid reflux
- An earache
- Skin rashes
Specific symptoms can be signs of life-threatening conditions and require emergency care, which is provided at hospitals 24 hours a day and all days of the week. It is vital for everyone to learn the signs of a medical emergency because interpreting an emergency accurately could help save a loved one's life.
Ensure you call 911 or visit a nearby emergency department if you experience the following:
- Unconsciousness or disorientation
- Fracture (broken bones)
- Sudden worsening of a chronic condition
- Fever in babies, infants, toddlers, or older adults
- Any sudden or severe pain
- Chest pain, upper abdominal pain, or pressure
- Severe injuries or an accident
- Uncontrollable loss of blood
- Coughing or vomiting blood
- Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy
- Decreased responsiveness or alertness in babies or children
- Sudden changes in vision
- Inability to stand up or unsteady walking
- Sudden numbness in the feet, arms, or legs
- Seizures
- Shortness of breath
- Moderate or severe allergic reactions
- Choking or difficulty breathing
- Severe cuts or burns
What kind of specialists can you get treatment from at an urgent care center?
Urgent care clinics are well known for providing after-hours care. But fewer people may know about the types of medical experts who work here. While staffing varies by location, here are some of the trusted specialists you might find at your community urgent care facility.
Physicians: Urgent-care doctors are similar to those who work in primary care clinics. Unlike primary care physicians, however, urgent care doctors can provide same-day care and treat many new patients every month. Urgent care physicians can manage a wide variety of common health issues, including flu symptoms, sprained ankles, infections, and minor cuts, thanks to their broad knowledge of general medicine. If you need a specialist intervention, the doctor can provide a referral to the right expert.
Physician assistants: Within the last ten years, the number of physician assistants (PAs) working in urgent care has nearly doubled. Compared to emergency medicine, physician assistants in urgent care see more patients and conduct many more minor surgical operations. They are less likely to be newly graduated if employed at an urgent care center. In general, emergency medicine PAs are among the highest-paid nonsurgical physician assistants.
Nurse practitioners: Nurse practitioners provide a wide range of medical and non-medical services, including:
- Taking a patient's medical history on their arrival
- Performing a comprehensive physical examination,
- Ordering laboratory tests, procedures, and diagnostic screening tests
- Diagnosing, treating, and managing minor injuries,
- Writing prescriptions and coordinating referrals with other specialists within or outside of the facility
- Providing disease prevention and healthy lifestyle education.
Administrative services: When you enter an urgent clinic, these are the people you will first meet. They are responsible for the medical facility's smooth operation, including tasks such as staffing, financing, policymaking, and patient care. Administrators also work hard to coordinate among the doctors, nurses, and other medical providers at the clinic. Finally, administrators play a crucial role in insurance processing and billing, both of which are crucial for improving patient satisfaction.
Benefits and drawbacks of urgent care
Urgent care centers are advantageous to patients and the US healthcare system but may also have disadvantages. Being aware of both sides of the coin can help you choose the appropriate healthcare services when required.
Benefits:
- Urgent care centers are walk-in clinics providing outpatient or ambulatory care. Therefore, there is no need to book an appointment before your visit. For this reason, there is hardly any waiting time. Thus, you can receive immediate medical attention for a sudden health issue or acute injury at an urgent care center.
- Though limited, the laboratory facilities at an urgent care center can speed up the diagnostic process and enable you to receive prompt medical treatment for your health issues.
- Urgent care centers have flexible working hours. Most centers are open during weekdays and even on weekends. They are open until late evening, unlike your primary care physician. Therefore, if you develop an issue late at night or some reason prevents you from a day visit, you can go to the clinic in the late evening or even after dinner.
- The treatment charges at urgent care clinics are reasonable compared to costly emergency care. The cost can sometimes be lower than at your family physician's clinic.
Drawbacks:
- Urgent care centers do not always have a primary care doctor available on staff, and other practitioners like nurses may be there to provide medical attention to patients. Thus, in cases where you require expert or specialized care, there may be better choices than an urgent care center.
- Urgent care centers do not provide life-saving care. Unlike an emergency room, they are not designed to treat extreme life- or limb-threatening situations.
- All urgent care centers may not accept your insurance. Though they partner with insurance companies, most centers may have different affiliations. Therefore, urgent care may not be covered by insurance.
Find urgent care near you in Indianapolis, Indiana
If your family doctor is unavailable, an urgent clinic can provide you with prompt care at low prices. However, many people struggle to find the right urgent care center. With Zocdoc, you can easily find the best urgent care center in Indianapolis, IN.
Enter your location (or "near me"), preferred specialty, or medical disorder in the search box, and Zocdoc will find you the top-rated urgent care providers in no time. If you're looking to save on medical expenses, choose Zocdoc. We let you search for providers based on the insurance they accept. Add your insurance carrier's name to the search query.
If you cannot find your medical insurance plan on Zocdoc, upload a photo of your insurance card. Zocdoc will automatically scan the image and display the plan that is most likely for you. This feature is not available for dental or vision insurance cards. If you face any issues while uploading the image, do not hesitate to contact Zocdoc's service team for assistance. Additionally, you can check out Zocdoc's patient help center for answers to any further insurance-related queries.
All providers have a personal profile that lists their educational credentials, board certifications, licensure, and affiliations with hospitals, clinics, and private practices. Browse through the verified patient reviews to learn more. On Zocdoc, you can also book an in-person or video consultation with a doctor who offers urgent care near you.
All bookings are simple, secure, and free.
Urgent care in Indiana
Approximately 89 million patients visit urgent care clinics annually, accounting for about 15% of all outpatient physician visits and more than 29% of all primary care visits in the country.
Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Vermont are among the states that sought to regulate the convenience care industry. Such regulations relate to the core issues of coverage, transparency, and the sorts of treatments given at urgent care facilities and retail health clinics. The expanded Medicaid program in the state of Indiana now covers many types of treatments at urgent care centers.
Sources
Urgent Care Association
Debt.org
Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants
MedlinePlus
Experity
Community Catalyst
American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine
Healthline
Mayo Clinic Health System
Scripps
UnityPoint Health
EmergencyPhysicians
Geisinger
Blanchard Valley Health System
The Philadelphia Tribune
Vermont Urgent Care
