Medical Clinic for a Variety of Needs

A lot of times people without a regular physician feel stymied by their options for receiving non life-threatening health care. Their problem does not necessitate the cost and inconvenience of going to a hospital emergency room but it also demands the care of a physician. Other times the issue is not that a person does not have a doctor but rather that it is the weekend of late at night and they need or want to begin treatment for their ailments. From kidney infections to travel vaccinations there are many different things that a medical clinic can provide.

The most common reason people decide to go to a medical clinic is because of what is commonly called urgent care. This term covers a lot of different things. Often serious illnesses from a virus like the flu or an infection is the reason people choose to go get checked out. Other times it is from lacerations or other injuries that may need stitches, an x-ray or a cast but do not demand the services of an emergency room. Frequently people come in with urinary tract or kidney infections and need an antibiotic and a culture but don’t want to spend hours waiting in the ER or days waiting to get an appointment with their primary care doctor. Also, although in past times people would go to the hospital with the advent of more service providers like these it is possible to reduce not only the wait time but also the expense.

Another common reason for patients seeking care at a medical clinic is to get travel medicine. Many countries require vaccinations for diseases that are not prevalent here or have been eradicated. Typhoid, cholera, and malaria are just a few of the diseases that travelers need to be inoculated against. Besides vaccinations there is a need for medicines for travel. Everywhere in the world there is different flora and fauna in the food and water. While not inherently sickening they can wreak havoc on the systems of people who are not accustomed to them. For this reasons many travelers choose to have a doctor prescribe them an anti-diarrheal to take to help curb the negative effects of exotic foods.

The other prominent reason for using a medical clinic is for health clearance. Many Sports teams require a physical before being allowed to participate. This ensures that the participants are healthy enough for physical activity and that there are no hidden underlying conditions that may show themselves during practice or games. Similar physicals are required for college particularly for living in the dorms. Also they sometimes require other vaccinations, e.g. meningitis, because of the shared living and bathing conditions. A medical clinic can also provide tuberculosis testing for health care or elder care employees and STD testing for sexually active adults.
Regardless of whether the need is urgent or purely preventative there is not a better place to go to have minor health concerns addressed at an office like this. The wait is shorter than the ER and the cost is certainly less considerable. Also, they hours are far more varied than a primary care physician and there is no need for an appointment.