Urgent Care Vs Walk-In-Clinic- Know How They Differ

Urgent care center and walk-in clinic are some of the terms used often interchangeably these days. But how many of us are aware of the minute difference between the two? Not much of us. If you are among those unaware folks, then consider reading below.

What is walk-in clinic?

A walk-in clinic is simply a healthcare provider that allows you to come in and be seen by a healthcare provider without the need of a prior appointment.  You can walk into anytime and can pay for the treatment. In fact, many primary care doctors accept walk-in patients between their scheduled appointments, in which case they could also be considered a walk-in clinic.

What is urgent care?

An urgent care center is more advanced than a walk-in clinic. They have more trained staff and equipment compared to walk in. For instance, most urgent care locations have at least one medical doctor on staff and have the physician available to see patients any time the doors are open. That said, you could still see an nurse practitioner or physician assistant rather than a doctor. Also, most urgent care have on-site X-Ray equipment and can handle more severe urgent care services such as broken bones, burns and other non-emergent conditions that retail clinics are unable to.

Urgent care facilities are very often used to fill the gap between primary care doctors and emergency rooms, thus alleviating the strain on ERs and their typically long wait times.While some people have a tendency to use an urgent care as a substitute for a primary care physician , it is not advisable because a primary care doctors can give better insight into your medical records and family history. An urgent care is a convenient option for parents with tight office schedules as these urgent care operates seven days a week.

Difference between the two

The difference between urgent care facilities and walk-in clinics are quite many. In general, urgent care centers treat patients whose illnesses or injuries are not life-threatening but require immediate medical care, such as broken bones and burns. Most urgent care locations have on-site X-ray equipment which walk ins usually don’t have. And urgent care have at least one medical doctor available to attend the patient. Some urgent care facilities will see a patient who needs urgent medical care without an appointment, while others require an appointment. They open seven days a week.

Author’s bio: The author is a blogger and the article is about walk in clinic and urgent care.

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mariadona Joined: January 22nd, 2019