Did You Know? 5 Interesting Facts About Urgent Care Clinics - Legacy ER

Summer is a time for rest, relaxation, and recreation. But while you’re having fun in the summer sun, it’s important to remember that there’s always a chance of sustaining minor injuries and illnesses. And if you do happen to get injured or fall ill this season, you need to have all of the essential information about both emergency services and urgent care clinics. 

In the event that you need advanced diagnostic and laboratory services, you’ll have a choice to make: emergency room or urgent care clinic. In order to make sure you’re completely informed, we’ve crafted a list of facts about urgent care clinics that you absolutely need to know. Keep reading to learn all about them! 
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1. According 2011 data from the Urgent Care Association of America, the average urgent care center provided treatment to almost 342 patients per week. In addition, most urgent care centers saw an additional 28 patients per month.
2. As of 2012, the most common diagnosis given at urgent care centers was an upper respiratory infection. In addition to providing a diagnosis, urgent care clinics can provide advanced diagnostic and laboratory services to those patients who need them.
3. The majority of urgent care centers are open seven days a week, and two-thirds of those centers are open before 9AM during the week. That means care is available whenever you need it.
4. There are currently somewhere near 20,000 physicians practicing at urgent care facilities throughout the nation. Not only are urgent care facilities well-staffed, their staff members are often the same people you may see in an emergency room.
5. Urgent care centers provide extensive treatment services to their patients. In addition to fracture care and treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, these centers can provide X-rays, STD and HIV testing, and even TB testing if needed.

When you have urgent medical needs, it may not always be possible to visit your primary care physician. In those instances, it’s important for you to determine whether or not you need emergency care or urgent medical treatment. Now that you have some great knowledge about urgent care centers, you should be prepared to make that decision.