Which Urgent Care Is Right For Me?

 An urgent care center is a great option when you are sick or injured, when you need to see a doctor right away, when you don’t want to wait in the hospital emergency room for hours, or when your doctor’s office is closed. There may be a few urgent cares in the neighborhood, but how do you select the best one? Check out the urgent cares near you before you require their services. Here are some things you should look for:

• Ask your regular physician for a recommendation
• Ask family, friends and co-workers for their experiences
• On average, how long will you have to wait to be seen? Call ahead and ask about the current wait time/patient load.
• Look at the location where the practice is located: Will it be easy for you to get there from home or work? Will parking be a hassle? Is it conveniently close to a pharmacy?
• Can routine x-rays and laboratory studies be performed in-office, or will you have to go to an outside laboratory?
• Check your insurance company for eligible centers
• Ask if the urgent care can communicate with your primary care office and update your records. Otherwise, you will need to update your doctor by yourself on any care that you received at an urgent care.
• In some instances it is best to go to a hospital emergency room or call “911”. If you are in a life-threatening situation, please call “911”.

• Minor injuries – Abrasions/cuts, Bruises
• Burns (minor)
• Colds/cough/flu
• Ear, eye and skin infections
• Eye injuries (minor)
• Respiratory infections
• Sprains/strains
• Urinary tract infections
• Rashes
• Musculoskeletal pain