Be Choosy About Your Healthcare — Explore Your Options!

If we see our doctors regularly, there’s a good chance that they know a great deal about us in an intimate way. They’re in charge of our health and expect us to be open and honest with them — even if we’re ashamed to admit bad habits. If we have an open and honest relationship with them, they can help keep us healthy and feeling good, and the best doctors will establish that kind of relationship with their patient from the get-go, by not being judgmental or rushed. Doctors play such an important role in our lives — from our regular doctors that we see for check-ups, to emergency room physicians, to urgent care doctors, or those who staff walk in clinics, we rely on them in an emergency. As America grays, doctors will become increasingly important — it’s estimated by that 2030, three-fifths of Baby Boomers will be managing some kind of chronic condition.
What Types of Medical Help Are Out There?
Of course we know about visiting our doctor in the name of preventative health and visiting the emergency room. But did you know there are other options available as well? Urgent care and walk in clinics are two other great options for seeking medical help. The Urgent Care Association of America reports that around three million patients visit their urgent care centers weekly and there are around 20,000 physicians who are currently practicing urgent care medicine. Around 85% of urgent care centers are open seven days a week — making it convenient for families who have to work late or for those weekend emergencies. Four out of five urgent care centers can provide fracture care and in 2012, the most common procedure done was wound repair. The most common diagnosis is generally that of an upper respiratory condition. As you can see, urgent care centers can help diagnosis treat a variety of different ailments and they’re generally significantly cheaper than going to the emergency room.
Walk in clinics treat more minor injuries or illnesses, like handling flu or cold cases, strep throat, minor cuts or abrasions or skin conditions. You can also get vaccinations here, have an annual physical or health screening done, and get a prescription here (and usually there’s a pharmacy attached, which makes it incredibly convenient). The one downside to walk in clinics is that they tend to be only open during retail store hours, since most are attached to larger retailers. You also will want to make sure your insurance is covered at these types of clinics. This is also certainly the cheapest option, as compared to the doctor’s office or urgent care, but be sure to go to the emergency room or your doctor for any serious or specialized emergency.
How Should I Pick a Place to Seek Care?
The nice thing about these options is that you don’t necessarily have to be tied down to one. The best doctors can be at any one of these locations or even at all of them. You may be surprised to find that you have the best doctors and best care at an urgent care center or you may prefer your doctor’s office, but you don’t have to be tied to just one or the other. For less serious ailments like the common cold or receiving a vaccination, going to the walk in clinic might be the most cost-effective option for you. Seeing your doctor for health screenings and physicals might be the best option in terms of creating an ongoing medical record for you (and this way, if anything is out of the ordinary, your doctor will be able to look at your charts and better diagnose). If you have a slightly more severe emergency, but doesn’t warrant going to the emergency room, consider visiting urgent care, which can do much of what an emergency room does, but at a decreased cost.
Finding the best doctors doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. You may have a wealth of options at your fingertips and not have even realized! Explore your options today to receive the best healthcare possible.