Even the most powerful man in the world isn’t immune to the annoyance of having a sore throat.
President Obama recently visited Walter Reed Medical Center for diagnostic tests after complaining of a persistent sore throat for weeks. Under the recommendation of the president’s primary care physician, Dr. Jackson, the president underwent a series of test which determined acid reflux to be the cause of his sore throat.
It seems fitting that the President is taking advantage of the healthcare system he drastically reformed with the passing of the Affordable Care Act. Prior to its passing, understaffed and overcrowded hospital emergency rooms, in addition to primary care physician offices struggled with treating patients, often times a high cost to those seeking care. Urgent care facilities, however, helped manage the influx of newly insured patients in need of medical attention following the passing of the Affordable Care Act. In fact, urgent care clinics have long played an important role in American healthcare industry.
Urgent care centers are designed to treat medical conditions that are not severe enough to warrant a trip to a hospital emergency room, yet still require medical attention. However, advanced urgent care centers continue to take on more responsibility in order to ease the burden of emergency rooms and physician offices. Many advanced urgent care centers offer services such as x rays and other forms of diagnostic testing, in addition to in house dispensaries, which allow patients to leave with their prescription medication.
While the role of advanced urgent care centers in the future of American healthcare remains unclear, Americans, including the President, now have more treatment options available than ever before. Links like this.