What does it mean to get the best urgent care? Is it a timely response from trained medical staff or is it an affordable bill once you’ve received the treatment you need? When it comes to the best urgent care, covering all the basics is essential to coming out feeling your best. A convenient quality and cost is frequently at the forefront of many Americans’ mind, particularly since healthcare is going through rapid developments and leaving many still struggling to figure out emergency care services. A little knowledge goes a long way, so take a look below to learn more about how urgent care facilities work and how they can supplement your insurance or lack thereof.

What Is Urgent Care?

Simply put, urgent care is immediate medical treatment when a patient is unable to wait to see their regular doctor or nurse. Although some urgent care centers combine emergency room functions, it depends on the facility in question and should be taken into consideration when you need assistance. Urgent care is useful for minor injuries and illnesses as well as more severe issues that need to be attended to as soon as possible. A 2009 study conducted by the RAND Corp. found anywhere from 14% to 27% of visits could have been handled by Urgent Care centers, saving a stunning $4 billion per year on medical bills.

How Many Facilities Are There?

There are many urgent care facilities available in the United States to ensure everyone gets the help they need. There are nearly 20,000 physicians who practice Urgent Care Medicine today and, according to ongoing studies, that number only continues to grow. According to HealthCare Appraisers, the urgent care market is highly fragmated and sees many different developments working side by side — most operators don’t own more than three centers and, overall, urgent care doesn’t have a dominant market presence.

How Do Urgent Care Centers Help?

The best urgent care is necessary to fill the gaps in-between conventional check-ups and general wellness. Nearly all urgent care centers operate seven days per week, adding up to nearly 97% of all centers back in 2014, with another smaller percentage open at least four hours per day. The average urgent care clinic will have seven exam or treatment rooms, with the general patient-per-hour ratio for urgent care physicians totaling five people per hour. While this number can vary on the severity of the patient’s conditions, urgent care centers are devoted to helping you as soon as possible.

What Are Common Illnesses And Injuries?

Although the best urgent care facilities see a wide variety of injuries and illnesses every day, there are some that are more common than others. Burns, broken bones and sprains are frequent reasons people visit urgent care centers. The flu, fever, pneumonia and allergic reactions are other frequent illnesses that see people visiting urgent care centers in their neighborhood.

How Can I Get The Best Urgent Care?

When you don’t have time to set up a doctor visit, the best urgent care can give you the attention you need. Unlike visiting a standard hospital, urgent care centers will save you a significant amount of money — an urgent care-treatable case handled in your average hospital emergency room will cost as much as $2,000, while an urgent care facility can run you $300 or less. According to a private study conducted by Milliman, over 50% of all emergency room situations could have been treated at an urgent care clinic. If you’ve become sick or have received an injury, contact your local urgent care and see how they can help you.

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