I developed intense heartburn during my second pregnancy. I tried every pregnancy-safe home remedy I could find and nothing seemed to work. I was hopeful that once my daughter was born, it would improve. When it didn't, I spent a lot of time working with an internal medicine specialist and researching remedies online. I've found many different things that help in different ways. I decided to create this site to document the solutions that I've found and help others to find a way to manage their chronic heartburn as well. If you're struggling with persistent heartburn, I hope this information helps you find relief.
When faced with a non-life-threatening illness or injury, you typically have the option of either going to a primary care doctor's practice or an urgent care center. Though both are viable options, an urgent care center can provide various benefits that you can't get from a primary care physician's office.
Unfortunately, many people shy away from urgent care centers because they do not deem them as well equipped as hospitals or primary care physicians (PCP). However, urgent care centers are fully equipped with almost all the services and medical equipment you could need for a non-life-threatening injury or illness. In fact, the only condition that an urgent care center may not be equipped to handle is a life-threatening one.
Thus, the next time you need medical care/treatment for a minor injury or illness, an urgent care center has you covered. With that said, here are three reasons you should visit an urgent care center instead of a primary care physician.
Convenience
When you need to see a doctor, you first have to book an appointment in advance. Unfortunately, most primary care physicians have busy schedules, which means they may not be able to give you an appointment for a couple of days. Waiting for a couple of days with a non-life-threatening illness or injury may seem easy. However, considering you have to endure the discomfort or pain from an illness or an injury for a couple of days, it is not ideal.
Therefore, instead of waiting for a few days to get an appointment with a PCP, it is advisable to visit an urgent care center instead. One of the main benefits of urgent care centers is that they are readily available to patients.
In fact, you can easily schedule an appointment at an urgent care center online and get treated the same day. You may have to wait in line at the urgent care center, but the main benefit is that you will get to see a doctor on the same day instead of waiting for a few days for an appointment.
Less Expensive
Whether you are insured or not, the cost of treatment is one of the main factors determining where you get your healthcare. Typically, the average cost of treatment at an urgent care facility is more subsidized than at a primary care physician.
Thus, even if you are not insured and plan to pay for treatment out-of-pocket, the fees at an urgent care facility are significantly lower than those of a primary care physician. For instance, most primary care physicians charge more than what you would pay at an urgent care facility. Therefore, urgent care facilities are more cost-friendly than primary care doctors.
Extended Hours
Most primary care physicians work for regular hours. As such, you will find them closed if you need to visit a PCP before or after this period. Unfortunately, an injury or an ailment is not something you plan for, and it can occur at any time. Therefore, it would be best to pick a healthcare option that operates for extended hours just in case you need to see a doctor late in the evening.
Fortunately, urgent care centers usually operate for longer hours than PCPs, extending their work hours to the early evening. Therefore, if you need medical assistance late in the evening but your primary care physician is closed, there is a good chance that you will find an urgent care facility still open at such an hour. For more information, contact an urgent care center.
Share30 September 2021
