Did you know that urgent care centers represent one of the fastest growing segments within the American healthcare system? By and large the fact that an urgent care center affords patients the option of walk in care, they are a far more lucrative health care option than emergency rooms or primary care doctor’s offices. Plus, there are even some after hours urgent care facilities, and even some that are open 24 hours a day. Conversely, under a third of all primary care doctors have after-hours coverage.
According to a survey by the Urgent Care Association of America, 57 percent of patients wait less than 15 minutes to be seen, while 80 percent of all visits are 60 minutes or less. The fact that there are local urgent care centers that can take care of patients at a fraction of the cost and in a fraction of the time again makes urgent care centers extremely convenient, and the existence of walk in care facilities only benefits the health care industry.
What about the quality of care at an urgent care facility? Nearly two thirds of urgent care centers provide a mix of doctors, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistant, and 65 percent of all facilities have one physician on hand at all times. On another note, there are a large chunk of urgent care facilities that are actually owned and operated by physicians.
In a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control, about half of adult ER patients who were not sick enough to be admitted to a hospital said they only went to the ER because their primary care doctor’s office was closed. While ER visits can cost over $1,000, urgent care visits are typically under $100. At the end of the day, urgent care facilities greatly benefit the health care industry, and make a lot of people happy-and healthy-every year. Continue: doctorsexpressoceanside.com