In the United States alone, there are roughly 6,800 urgent care centers, and most of them are in freestanding buildings. However, there are a number of 24 hour urgent care centers that are located in plazas or shopping malls as well. Regardless, urgent care facilities represent one of the most popular and fast-growing segments of the American health care industry because they are far more convenient and cost-efficient than other solutions like primary care doctors or emergency rooms.

The average child catches between six and ten cold a year, and every year, Americans as a whole get about a billion colds. An immediate care center can treat colds in a very short amount of time, and overall help people get the kind of medical solutions they would have only dreamt of a hundred years ago.

According to a study conducted by the CDC, almost half 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 physicians’ offices were closed. As such, there are many 24 hour urgent care facilities that offer around-the-clock care.

The urgent care movement began in the 1970s in the United States, but has grown exponentially around the globe since then. Though they are best suited to provide medical treatments for mild to moderate problems like gastrointestinal problems, colds, or minor fractures, many urgent care facilities are capable of taking x-ray images and testing patients for STDs.

At the end of the day, because urgent care facilities are so convenient, they are an incredibly popular choice for medical care. Many experts even believe that some time soon, urgent care facilities will help more people with their medical needs than primary care doctors. More.