Walk-in Clinics Provide Urgent Medical Care for Wounds, Fractures, and Illnesses
There are a variety of medical issues that can be treated at urgent care centers. These walk in clinics are able to treat wounds, fractures, infections, and other types of urgent medical concerns. Urgent care centers are a convenient option because clients are able to see a physician or mid-level provider, such as a physician’s assistant, without needing to make a prior appointment.
Currently, there are approximately 20,000 physicians that practice urgent care medicine at these facilities. Due to the fact that 85% of these walk in clinics are open throughout the entire week, when someone has become ill or injured, they will be able to have access to medical care. In general, patients may only need to wait about 15 minutes in order to be seen.
During 2012, the most common reason people visited urgent care facilities was due to upper-respiratory issues. These likely included colds, bronchitis, and shortness of breath.
The most common procedure conducted in 2012 was wound repair. This likely included treating bumps, scrapes, and cuts. In some cases, these wounds may have required stitches. Other specialized treatments may have been needed for bumps to the head in order to determine whether or not an individual received a concussion.
Sports injuries can be treated at walk in clinics as well. It’s important to note that fracture care can be provided by four out of five of these facilities. Ankle sprains, according to recent reports, occur on a daily basis with 25,000 people in the United States.
Americans come down with about a billion colds every year, and the symptoms usually last between 48 hours to two weeks. On average, people will be symptom-free within ten days, however.
During flu season, there are different strains that tend to appear. An average of five to ten percent of Americans become ill with the flu. It’s important to note that urgent care clinics can treat these symptoms and also provide preventative measures such as flu shots.
Poison Ivy is prevalent throughout the United States with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. It is believed that a minimum of 85% of the population is allergic to this plant. In addition to receiving treatment for this allergy, other allergies and allergic reactions can be treated at a walk in clinic.
Urinary tract infections are also quite common. Roughly 8.1 million people visit the doctor every year to receive treatment for these, which usually includes a course of antibiotics.
There are other urgent care treatments that can be treated at these facilities. Since they provide convenient access to medical care, it makes sense to visit a walk in clinic rather than experience concern, discomfort, or pain.
