One of the most important things in life is health. Staying healthy can too often feel like an afterthought, especially for those who are in relatively good health to begin with. But as soon as it falters, or something unexpected suddenly happens, like a broken bone, tending to those health issues becomes the main priority. However, the health care system in this country leaves much to be desired, and for many people, trying to find the right health care and insurance can be an overwhelming and scary process.
On top of the difficulties that many people face, the standard hours for the offices of many primary physicians are little more than business hours. Any parent watching out for their children, any patient facing chronic pain, or any individual suddenly struck with a debilitating illness knows that many afflictions do not stick to the hours of operation stipulated by businesses and doctors’ offices. For this reason, urgent care walk in clinics have grown both in number and popularity.
Know your local urgent care walk in clinics
It is a good idea to create and foster a positive relationship with your primary care physician so that you feel comfortable going to him or her with the various maladies that are bound to come up. But when your doctor’s office is closed, and you are unable to reach your doctor, it is also a good idea to have a backup plan, in the event that you need medical care, but cannot afford to make a trip to the emergency room, which often runs patients thousands of dollars for a single visit.
Only about 29% of primary care physicians offer any sort of coverage after hours. Urgent care walk in clinics are a good option, as they function as something as a middle ground between the doctor’s office and the emergency room. Providing much of the same type of patient care that both a physician’s office and an emergency room might offer, it is often much easier and much more cost efficient to be seen by a health professional at an urgent care facility.
The need for more accessible health care
Each year, people across the country catch a collective total of 1 billion colds. Kids alone will often catch somewhere between six and 10 colds each year. There are chronic pain issues, sprained ankles, allergic reactions, and accidental injuries. Every year, the United States sees nearly 7 million broken bones. All of these maladies need somewhere reliable to be remedied, and doctors’ offices alone cannot always do the job. Urgent care clinics are a great solution that has been emerging in recent years. As the face of health care in this country shifts, people need to know that there is a place to go that will keep them healthy, and in turn, allow them to live their happiest lives.
