Alternatives to Pediatric Emergency Room Visits
There is nothing worse that having your baby or child wake up in the middle of the night in distress or falling down or having some sort of accident that causes injuries. Of course, your first thought is to get them to a pediatric emergency room as soon as possible for medical treatment.
There are also alternatives to a pediatric emergency room that you may want to consider. Urgent care facilities provide immediate medical care for non life threatening ailments. These urgent care facilities can often provide the same medical treatment found in pediatric emergency rooms.
As alternatives to pediatric emergency room visits, urgent care centers can prescribe antibiotics, pain medication, and evaluation of the needs of a patient. In 2012, the most common diagnosis given at these facilities was for an upper respiratory infection. Many children present with symptoms of these respiratory infections or ear infections, and these alternatives to a pediatric emergency room visit can provide the necessary medical treatments.
In addition, many urgent care centers also offer routine blood work, X rays, and even physical exams. They also offer flu shots and other routine vaccinations. The costs associated with these services are usually much lower than visiting a pediatric emergency room.
You may be hesitant to visit one of these new urgent care facilities. You may want to note that an estimated 53% of urgent care facilities in the United States have been in operation for more than five years. Additional, these care facilities are staffed by a full range of medical personnel including doctors, nurses, and physician assistants. You can rest assured that you will receive quality medical, just like you would at a pediatric emergency room.
These centers can also provide services when your regular doctor is not available. You can seek medical treatment until your doctor is available, rather than visiting a pediatric emergency room for the sniffles or a minor injury.
You can find urgent care centers in most areas of the country, so it is a good idea to know where your nearest facility is located. You just never know when a family member may fall ill or get injured.
Read this website for more information: www.immediateclinic.com
