Visiting an Urgent Care Center

When you do not feel good or if you are hurt but it is not so bad that you need to go to the hospital and be seen by an ER doctor it is comforting to know that you have other options for medical treatment. That other option takes the form of what is known as urgent care. These medical facilities, which provide a bridge between a scheduled visit to a family physician and a trip to the emergency department, are many people’s answers to their medical needs. Urgent care centers were developed to respond to a gap in the medical system that was not being met … until now.

If your son has come down with a cough that seems to be getting worse not better and it is a Friday evening then you can drop by one of these centers and be seen by a qualified medical practitioner and there is no appointment required. Or maybe you have a sore finger and you don’t know why. Or maybe you were bitten by your neighbor’s cat or were bitten by an insect in your backyard when you were gardening and the spot on your arm has started to swell. At times like these you need to seek medical attention. Going to your closest urgent care facility is a very wise move at this point in time as you should not try to diagnose yourself.

When you come to an urgent care center the goal of the qualified staff working there is to see you as quickly as possible and to treat the sickness or injury you have with quality, skill and the absolute best in efficiency. You are not required to be a regular patient at the center nor do you have to call ahead to let the staff know that you are coming. You can show up during the hours the facility is open and you will be seen by a physician. The center is open Monday to Friday from 8AM to 8PM. On weekends it is open from 8AM to 5PM.

It is important that you bring the right forms of identification with you when you arrive for treatment. You need to have photo identification and your insurance card if you are covered by a medical plan. Be aware however that you will not be turned away if you do not have medical insurance. You also need to bring a co-payment with you. Cash is accepted, as are checks and credit cards.

When you first check in at Urgent Care you will be expected to fill out a short registration form if it is your very first visit there. After you have been checked in you will then be taken to the room known as triage whereby a registered nurse (RN) will take a look at you and will assess the problem that you are experiencing. After a short wait in most cases you will then be taken to a room and will be examined by a doctor. In terms of aftercare you may be prescribed a course of medication or be given supplies and also provided instructions as to how to use them to support the healing process.