Did you know that nearly half of all adult ER patients are not actually sick enough to be admitted to the hospital? Emergency room crowding is a growing concern in the United States, as it leads to long wait times for patients. Fortunately, urgent care has become a viable alternative to the ER. In fact, U.S. urgent care facilities account for $14 billion in annual revenue because there are several benefits of visiting urgent care.
1. Professional staff. Urgent care facilities have a diverse mix of medical professionals. In fact, approximately 63% of centers employ physicians, physicians assistants, and nurse practitioners, and 65% of all facilities have at least one physician on-site at all times. This is important because primary care physicians often experience hefty workloads, which means they cannot spend enough time with each patient. But what is a primary care physician, or PCP? PCPs are doctors who are the main point of contact for many people, and they often operate their own offices.
2. Variety of treatment. Urgent care centers are equipped to treat a wide variety of non-life-threatening medical conditions. Sprains, strains, upper respiratory illnesses, fractures, burns, and concussions, for example, can all be treated at urgent care. Many
urgent care facilities are even anonymous STD testing centers, and they provide STD testing kits to those who require them.
3. Short wait times. Most patients who visit urgent care get immediate medical attention. In fact, 57% of patients wait only 15 minutes or less to be seen, and 80% of all visits are completed in under an hour. This means that when you suffer from a minor health condition, you can get the care you need as quickly as possible by visiting urgent care.
Urgent care is beneficial in a variety of ways, so it is no surprise that this health care option has become a practical alternative to both emergency rooms and primary care physicians. But what is a primary care physician? Although PCPs are typically sought after for their exclusive care, they often cannot compete with the professional staff, variety of treatment, and short wait times that urgent care offers. Continue: doctorsexpresscherrycreek.com