Fall and cooler temperatures are finally here. The warmth of summer has been replaced with the rainy, cold temperatures of fall. This season tends to bring a lot of colds and flu viruses. Many people will find themselves fighting off the common cold. Medical professional offices will find more patients complaining of symptoms like runny noses, congestion and fevers. Even emergency departments will see an increase in cold like symptom visits. People tend to visit their local emergency center, when they are unable to get into their local medical professional?s office.
According to a study conducted by the CDC, almost half (48%) of adult ER patients, who were not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital, said they sought out health care at the ER because their physician?s offices were closed. This is the reason that urgent care centers were created. Regular physician offices may require long office waits, less convenient office hours and weeks before you can even be fit in. However, most people who are suffering from symptoms of the common cold do not want to wait weeks.
It may seem more convenient to go to the emergency department. The emergency department may leave you with a higher medical bill and long waits, but you do not have to make an appointment and you can go at your convenience. Also, filling up the emergency department with patients that are not emergencies makes it more difficult with those with actual emergencies to be seen in a timely manner.
Urgent care settings, however, provide the best of both of these options. Urgent care settings do not require you to make an appointment and they offer patient care with less wait times. They also often tend to be less expensive than the emergency department at your local medical center. Only 29% of primary care doctors have after hour?s coverage. Urgent care centers give an option to those who seek medical care, but are unable to get into their physician?s office. A 2010 study by the Rand Corporation found that nearly one in five visits to hospital ERs could be treated at urgent care centers, potentially saving $4.4 billion annually in health care costs.
Urgent care centers also provide numerous options of treatment that emergency departments may not. The point of an emergency room is to simply find out what is wrong with the patient, and send them on their way. They do not tend to do any testing, like rapid STD testing, unless it is absolutely necessary. They can also provide medications for such diseases like rapid STD testing treatments, including colds and injuries. You may also have the possibility to follow up with an urgent care professional, which is generally not an option in the emergency department. Urgent care centers may also provide more confidentiality for things like rapid STD testing services.
Those who wish to find an urgent care in their location can do a quick search online for local urgent care centers. They can also contact their health insurance number, and ask for urgent care locations that are covered under their health insurance plan. You are also likely to notice many urgent care centers popping up in stand alone locations all over your city, making it simple to choose one.
The fall brings a lot of colds and flu viruses. Patients may find it difficult to get into their regular physician?s office in a timely manner. Visiting the local emergency department can be costly and can prevent real emergencies from being seen sooner. Urgent care centers are a perfect option for things like colds, flus and rapid STD testing. They are convenient, affordable and can provide testing and confidentiality, as well.