Fractures and sprains are one of the most common reasons for visiting the emergency department. The majority of fractures and sprains occur after business hours, meaning a patient cannot seek medical care from their primary physician. However, there might be another option instead of sitting in the busy waiting room of an emergency department.
The rise of urgent care centers
Urgent care centers combine the best of your primary physician and the emergency room. About four out of five urgent care centers provide fracture care. Although they are not open 24 hours a day and seven days a week like the emergency room is, they do have extended hours longer than your primary physician does. They also have shorter wait times than emergency rooms. Roughly 60% of all urgent care centers and fracture care centers have a wait time of fewer than 15 minutes to see a physician or mid level provider. About 65% have a physician on site at all times. These advantages have led to a rise in popularity in urgent care centers.
Type of medical care at urgent care centers
There are a large group of people that have noticed an increase in urgent care centers in their neighborhoods but do not quite understand the medical services offered. Urgent care centers handle a lot of medical conditions and concerns, including fracture care. With over 25,000 Americans suffering from an ankle sprain or ankle fracture each day, urgent care centers are a great option.
Cost efficient healthcare model
While cost might not be your initial concern when seeking medical care, it is an important one. After you receive medical care, you will get a medical bill regardless of whether or not you have health insurance. With health insurance, you will have to pay a copay. Without health insurance, you will have to cover the entire cost of the medical visit out of your own pocket. For this reason, it is important to consider the health costs of your medical treatment. A physician?s office might be the most affordable, but that is not very helpful after hours. Emergency room medical care can be very expensive. The urgent care health model is set at a cost more closely related to your physicians.
Choosing the right urgent care center
An estimated 3 million patient?s visit urgent care centers each week, according to the Urgent Care Association of America. This can result in many urgent care centers around the country. It is even possible that you have up to ten centers just in your immediate city. So, how do you choose the best one when you require medical care? It is best to research local urgent care centers before requiring medical attention. Get to know their medical policies, the insurance they take, and their hours of business. If you do require medical services, you will already have an idea of where to go.
How to handle fracture care
We have already established that urgent care centers are a great option for fracture care. How do you know when you should seek medical care for a fracture? Any time a fracture is suspected, medical care is needed. Even a severe sprain should be looked at by a medical professional. You want to make sure that the bone is not broken and for it to heal properly, you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Millions of Americans have suffered an ankle fracture at one time or another. Many more have experienced a severe sprain. Urgent care health centers are a great option for seeking medical care of fractures and sprains. Most are equipped to handle this service and they are more affordable and convenient than an emergency center.