Urgent Care- Questions to Ask Before You Go

If you are not sure whether to go to your local urgent care center, the emergency room, or your doctor's office, you should consider your needs. You may be surprised at the amenities that a nearby urgent care center has, and since this is a good compromise between the hospital and your regular doctor, you should find out what is offered before you make a decision. The following are some good questions to ask before you go.

First of all, the main point of an urgent care center is to get fast treatment, just as the name implies. Therefore, the majority do not require appointments like your regular doctor does, so you can just walk in when you are hurt or ill. However, if you are going to get a sports physician or vaccination, you may need to set an appointment since it is not an emergency. If your local center does not require this, expect to wait behind people who truly need fast treatment due to severe pain. Be sure to call ahead and ask about this requirement.

You should also get to know what the typical urgent care has available to patients. The more equipment there is, the higher the chances you can be properly diagnosed and treated. For example, find out if the doctors there have the ability to perform sonograms, x-rays, and EKGs. You should also find out how blood work is done, as some have a laboratory on-site while others have to send out the samples. This can determine how long you have to wait for results, as well as the cost of the tests.

Another detail to find out is the ages treated. Most centers treat people of most ages, but some will not treat a newborn baby, for example. If your baby is too young to be seen at any locations near you, it may be necessary to take him to the hospital instead, as doctors are usually extra cautious when it comes to newborns. Your pediatrician probably also has a nurse line that you can call to find out where to take a sick or injured baby.

Of course, financial details are important. Call ahead to find out if they take your insurance, and what you need to bring, though in most cases the insurance card is all you need. You should also ask whether the front desk bills the insurance provider directly so you do not have to pay upfront and then get reimbursed after sending the bill. If you do not have insurance, ask about their cash prices or payment plans so you can comfortably pay for medical treatment.

These are all details to ask about when you call the urgent care nearest you. If you do not like the answers you get, call the other ones in your area. If none meet your needs, you then need to decide whether you can wait a couple of days to see your regular doctor, or if the situation is severe enough to head to the hospital.