If you suddenly get hurt in the middle of the night and need medical attention, one of the greatest challenges that people face is knowing what kind of care they require. Ideally, you are required to either check yourself into the ER or the nearest urgent care clinic. Understanding the kind of care to expect from both emergency rooms and a 24 hour walk in clinic is important considering the rising cost of healthcare. If you are visiting the emergency room, you will have to dig deeper into your pocket to access medical care since a battery of tests are often carried out during emergency room visits. The nature of medical procedures in an emergency room frisco tx is also intensive-a factor that contributes to the high cost of medical services. Your alternative to the ER whenever you need emergency care is an urgent care clinic. Most people cannot tell the difference between urgent care clinics and emergency rooms. In addition to this, you need to know the type of injuries and illnesses that these facilities attend to. Whereas the 24 hour walk in clinic location will not always be convenient for you, here is how to know when to seek emergency room vs. urgent care services.
When to Head to Urgent Care
It is often recommended that you always seek medical care from your primary care physician since they have your medical history. Unfortunately, access to an emergency medical physician is not always possible. In case of medical emergencies that need to be attended to on the same day, an urgent care center is your best alternative. In recent times, there has been an increase of urgent care clinics in operation. This has come as an advantage to patients in terms of 24 hour walk in clinic location. Just like the name suggests, a walk in clinic is one where you can receive medical attention and walk out immediately after treatment. A good rule of the thumb is that the 24 hour walk in clinic should be convenient and have ease of access by patients. In most cases, the 24 hour walk in clinic location is in busy areas such as shopping malls and busy office buildings. This means that in terms of the 24 hour walk in clinic location, you can access the clinic at any time of the day or night and receive treatment. However, urgent care clinics mainly deal with non-life threatening medical emergencies. Knowing what medical emergencies physicians at an urgent care clinic treat is another challenge people face. Apart from convenience when it comes to 24 hour walk in clinic location, an urgent care clinic will treat medical emergencies that are moderate such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and cuts that need stitches.
When to Head to the ER
Unlike 24 hour walk in clinic location, emergency rooms are not easily accessible as most of them are within hospital premises. This means that you might not experience the convenience that comes with 24 hour walk in clinic location. If you or your loved one is experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, then you should immediately head to the ER. Examples of medical emergencies that require emergency room experience include chest pains, difficulty in breathing, ingestion of toxic substances or a head injury. When a person is experiencing excessive pain, that could also be an indicator that they need emergency room services. Medical care in emergency rooms is more advanced compared to urgent care clinics meaning that the cost of care will also be higher. Always consult your insurance company regarding the different options available before heading to an emergency room or a medical care clinic.
