In the U.S., urgent care centers are quickly becoming a more main stream solution. Hospitals are taxed with the influx of emergency room cases, which has resulted in an increase in the waiting time in emergency rooms. Urgent care centers help to fix that problem by greatly reducing wait times for emergency services. There are other benefits to urgent care centers as well.
The Care Provided by Urgent Care Centers
From something as simple as a quick check up to STD testing, urgent care centers provide a wide variety of care. Things even as serious as fractures can be properly dealt with. Because of the varied selection of services offered, urgent care centers are becoming a more and more viable alternative to the emergency room. Due to their popularity, they are getting the staff they need in order to function at a high enough capacity. Currently, around 20,000 doctors are practicing their craft in urgent care centers. The doctors bring all of the experience and expertise a normal emergency room doctor would have—the only difference being the benefit to the patient: it’s more accessible.
Care is More Readily Available
Waiting in an emergency room for hours on end only serves to increase the pain and frustration. The average waiting time at an urgent care center is less than an hour. This not only serves to alleviate the frustration of waiting; it is better for the patient’s health. The longer an injury or condition is allowed to persist without care, the more likely it is to get worse or cause deeper, more serious damage. An urgent care center helps eliminate these risk factors.
The Cost of Services
Generally speaking, it is cheaper to visit an urgent care center than it is to visit an emergency room. This is a key benefit, particularly because the number of patients with chronic illnesses is predicted to escalate in the coming years. As the number of cases increases, the financial impact on our health care system is going to naturally get worse. Urgent care centers can be a part of the solution, saving customers money as well as encouraging lower insurance premiums as the providers themselves have to pay less for immediate care. It’s a win-win for all involved.
Urgent care centers are well-designed and ideally positioned to provide services for patients who have medical conditions that are not life-threatening but still require urgent attention. If you are in need of immediate medical attention in Somerset County, New Jersey, visit Central Jersey Urgent Care of Somerset. Our staff is highly trained and ready to help.