As the U.S. healthcare system is grappling with overstrained departments at some locations and facing primary care doctors shortages, urgent care centers have emerged as a boon to improve medical access at lower costs. Convenience and access are the key plus points of urgent care centers. These clinics provide care on a walk-in basis in the regular business hours, afterhours, and weekends. The doctors at these clinics usually treat patients for similar conditions as in primary care practice. The illnesses and conditions treated are non-life threatening in nature such as:
Unlike some people believe, urgent care centers are staffed by qualified doctors with experience of primary care. It must be noted that when urgent care first emerged in the United States in 1980, it could not take root in part because of inadequate information to garner consumer interest. Since then the demand for urgent care has grown exponentially as people greatly value convenient access. Market dynamics Typically urgent care centers tend to be located at populous areas because such locations attract a lot of cars and foot traffic. Urgent care business prefers a volume-driven model because the clinics must get sufficient patients for breakeven. Overall, people do perceive urgent care improves access without disrupting continuity. The nearest urgent care clinic in Arlington provides walk-in care during afterhours and on weekends when a primary care physician is unavailable. Care coordination is also good. Most people who have visited walk-in facilities believe such clinics do not disrupt existing relationships with the primary care doctors. Many urgent care centers coordinate with patients’ primary care doctors for continuity of care. A doctor at a Pentagon urgent clinic medical care says, “We treat patients who come to see us for earaches or sore throat even if they have chronic illnesses, such as diabetes.” “But we also suggest them to see their primary care physicians as a follow up”. A large number for centers provide lab facilities too. They provide lab test services such as hormone panel, cholesterol panel, liver panel, cancer panel, STD panel, and more. The nearest urgent care clinic in Arlington offers testing and treatment on the same day. The test results are private and the billing is discreet. Other facilities on offer include minor fracture care, immunizations, and routine school and sports physicals. With the United States facing considerable shortage of primary care physicians, the demand for walk-ins is continuing to grow. Moreover, urgent care facilities provide a cost effective alternative to the use of hospitals for certain medical situations. At this juncture, it must also be noted that most urgent care centers are continuing to see patients even during the Covid-19 pandemic. They have put in place strict protocols to ensure safety of both the clinical staff and patients. They perform telephonic screening for symptoms of Covid-19, have modified waiting areas to enforce social distancing, and perform improved cleaning protocols to minimize the spread of corona virus.
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