Walk In Clinics: Why You Should Consider This Option

If you do not feel well, you are probably used to either making an appointment with your doctor or going to the emergency room. Clearly, there is usually some wait time for either option. An alternative to such choices is considering local walk in clinics, as you can usually get treated quite quickly. Find out the main benefits of walk in clinics.

Many doctor offices are backed up and cannot offer same-day appointments. This means that even if you are sick, you often have to wait anywhere from a day to several weeks to get in, which obviously is not always acceptable. If your physician does offer same-day appointments frequently, you should consider yourself lucky, though this usually does require you to call very early in the morning in order to get a spot. If you are not lucky enough to have such an option, you may have to think about alternatives.

Those with doctors too busy to see them right away often head to the emergency room. They can usually get treated there sooner than they would waiting for a doctor appointment, but it requires hanging out in a waiting area for hours in most cases. Plus, a visit to the emergency room is usually much more expensive than a physician appointment, and you run the risk of exposing yourself to patients with much more serious illnesses than you have when you get there.

Walk in clinics are typically treated as somewhere between a physician's office and the emergency room, as you do not need an appointment to get in, but you should expect to wait. However, the wait is usually not as long as it is at a hospital, which makes it attractive to many. Additionally, many walk in clinics feature lower prices than many doctors, which is a benefit if you do not have insurance. Check near you for locations that feature discount pricing and short wait times.

Whether you want discounted testing for medical conditions or feel sick and cannot get in to see your doctor, you should consider going to a local walk in clinic for help. This option is usually less expensive and a bit faster than going to either your own practitioner or an emergency room. You may find that you should still follow-up with your primary care physician afterward, but at least this option allows you to get the medical care you need right away.