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What is urgent care?

Urgent care refers to medical aid offered to immediately treat acute and chronic health issues on an outpatient basis. Providing quality urgent care requires a comprehensive understanding of healthcare and seamless coordination between the urgent care physician, experts, and regular doctors.

Urgent care is distinct from primary care; the former is a practical solution when a primary doctor isn't accessible for a scheduled visit or if medical attention is necessary outside regular office hours without waiting endlessly at a hospital ER.

What are urgent care centers?

Urgent medical situations are non-emergencies requiring medical attention within 24 years. Urgent care facilities aim to assist patients with treating non-life-threatening ailments or injuries that cannot be left unattended. Urgent care centers offer quick access to quality healthcare for those without access to primary care.

Urgent care facilities are more practical, fast, and affordable than ER care. Appointments aren't required at such facilities, though some allow scheduling. While most have at least one physician on-site, their services vary. Some urgent care centers have affiliations with a hospital and can access all its laboratory, imaging, and hospitalization resources. Freestanding urgent care centers may only possess some types of equipment.

When can you visit urgent care centers?

You can seek urgent care near you if you are suffering from any of the following common illnesses and injuries: 

• Common cold
• Flu or influenza
• Sore throat or strep throat 
• Cough 
• Fever 
• Headache 
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Non-threatening allergies
• Skin rash
• Abnormal vaginal discharge 
• Urinary tract infections
• Ear or eye infections
• Insect bites
• Mild burns
• Wounds 
• Lacerations
• Minor fractures
• Sprains and strains
• Body aches

What is urgent pediatric care?

Urgent care facilities can offer non-critical care to children when their primary doctor is unavailable. In addition to non-emergency care, these facilities provide preventive services such as vaccinations.

Urgent care facilities may only sometimes have staff trained in pediatric care. If they offer services for children, they should possess the ability to:

• Treat frequent illnesses like fever, asthma, diarrhea, and others
• Handle common pediatric injuries such as lacerations and minor fractures
• Appropriately identify and respond to child abuse and neglect 
• Swiftly evaluate severe conditions beyond their scope of care and promptly refer such cases to an emergency room

Access to an urgent care center with expertise in children's health is beneficial. Such centers should have equipment and staff suited for pediatric care. Urgent care facilities treat minor illnesses that can worsen if not treated promptly. An adequately managed center should also be able to assess, stabilize, and transfer children needing emergency medical attention.

Approximately 20% of urgent care facilities are specifically for children's treatment. These centers have the best equipped and trained staff to care for your child. They typically employ physicians with expertise in pediatrics, pediatric emergency medicine, emergency medicine, or family medicine.

Over half of the pediatric urgent care centers are within a hospital. Some urgent care centers are associated with academic medical centers or big hospitals. You can find some facilities in grocery or retail stores for convenience. 

When should you take your kid to urgent care?

Urgent care is a substitute for your pediatrician during evenings or weekends when your child's condition is not a severe emergency. It's appropriate to visit an urgent care center if your child:

• Has flu-like symptoms with a fever
• Has a fever and is tugging at their ear
• Is experiencing wheezing but not struggling to breathe
• Is having trouble speaking normally
• Has a sore throat and high temperature
• Has an allergic reaction but breathing normally
• Has a minor injury or burn that requires cleaning, dressing, or stitches
• Has a head injury but remains conscious
• Is vomiting or has diarrhea but urinating normally
• Has itchy red eyes

While your pediatrician can typically handle these scenarios, an urgent care center with staff trained in pediatric care could also do the same; centers without pediatric expertise may refer you to an ER for even minor pediatric illnesses.

Urgent care vs. emergency room: which one is right for you?

Determining where to go for medical treatment can be challenging. A recommended first step is to contact your doctor's office since they may have an answering service with a physician or nurse available to speak with you and provide guidance on the appropriate course of action. If the doctor's office is closed, seeking non-emergency care at an urgent care center may be necessary.

FAQs on urgent care

Here are answers to some of the top queries about urgent care: 

What should I bring to the urgent care center? 

Carry your identity proof, insurance card, personal and emergency contact details, and primary care provider's information. Secondly, please take all the information to help them with your diagnosis and treatment. It includes your medical history, lab and imaging results, current medications and supplements, and allergies list. 

Do I need to make an appointment? 

You do not need to make prior appointments because most urgent care centers are walk-in clinics. However, that also means the waiting time may be longer. Therefore, it makes sense to call beforehand to check if you can reserve a slot or do an online check-in to avoid sitting in the waiting room for too long. 

What type of healthcare professional will see me? 

You may receive treatment from a doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner at urgent care centers. 

What type of healthcare services do urgent care centers provide? 

Besides diagnosing and treating common illnesses and injuries, they provide blood work, urinalysis, X-rays, ultrasounds, drug tests, STD testing, and pregnancy testing. Urgent care facilities also offer preventative care services such as vaccinations, physical exams, and gynecological exams. 

When should you avoid urgent care near you? 

You must seek emergency care instead or urgent care in case you experience life-threatening symptoms such as breathing difficulties, chest pain, facial numbness, trouble speaking, loss of balance, fainting, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, severe burns, joint dislocations, seizures, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm. 

Finding the best urgent care near you in Irvine, California

Finding the right urgent care center is vital to getting the best treatment. Zocdoc can help you find the best urgent care center in Irvine, California. Zocdoc's search engine can provide information on the many doctors in the area and suggest the one best suited to you. Using the available search filters for location, specialty, appointment availability, zip code, and insurance plans, you can quickly reduce your search results to find the best urgent care physicians near you. 

You can also review the doctor's profile on the platform, including details such as education, expertise, experience, and certifications before you make your decision. Zocdoc also features reviews and ratings posted by verified patients of physicians, allowing you to make a better choice. 

Using Zocdoc is user-friendly, secure, and free!

Urgent care statistics in Irvine, California 

As of 2021, there are approximately 9,000 urgent care centers in the United States, with the number continuing to grow yearly. As per the report released by the Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA), the demand for urgent care services has increased significantly in recent years, with patients seeking treatment for various conditions, including injuries, illnesses, and chronic diseases. One interesting statistic reported by the UCAOA is that 60% of all urgent care visits are by patients who do not have a primary care physician. It highlights the importance of urgent care centers as a source of medical care for those who may not have access to routine healthcare services.

Sources

Urgent Care Association

WebMD

MyDocUrgentCare

American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Healthgrades

Healthline

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas

Instant Urgent Care

Epic Urgent & Family Care

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.