Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.
-- Erma Bombeck
(1927-1996)
Earlier this month I attended an open house for a new urgent care clinic in Sherwood. HealthCare Express is part of a chain with locations in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
As I looked around the facility, I realized I was seeing an example of a trend in today's ever-changing world of health care.
Urgent care clinics treat things such as colds, urinary tract infections, sprains or strains, abdominal pain, ear pain, flu-like symptoms, cough and congestion. And they will most likely have on-site lab services, EKG and X-ray. Some of these clinics also offer services including occupational medicine, sports physicals and allergy testing.
As with emergency rooms, clinics are usually open weekends and off hours. And many are open 365 days a year.
I dug around the Internet and found an article titled "The Evolution of Urgent Care Centers" on the Verywell Health website (verywellhealth.com) by Rod Brouhard, a paramedic, journalist, educator and advocate for emergency medical service providers and patients.
He writes that in the 1970s, an urgent care center or clinic would probably have been found in the same complex where the doctors and dentists had their offices. And most clinics would probably have been near a hospital.
The concept was very new at the time and the clinics didn't treat severe medical conditions. Their draw was treatment without an appointment.
In those days, the other options facing patients with a sudden problem were to make a doctor's appointment or go to the emergency room. So you paid either a relatively reasonable doctor's appointment fee or a very high emergency room bill.
As private, employer-provided medical insurance became more common, ER visits increased among those with full coverage, much to the chagrin of the insurance companies. Uninsured patients would often go to the ER out of necessity, incurring big bills they might not be able to pay.
Savvy providers realized there was a niche for a drop-in, one-stop place that didn't break the bank and could provide sound medical treatment for less than the ER could.
In one online article I read, Dr. Shawn Evans, an emergency medicine physician, says that there are distinct differences between the ER and urgent care. Urgent care clinics are there to fill a vital gap when we become sick or injured, but our regular doctor is not available and we just can't wait for an appointment. An emergency room is equipped and staffed for even the most complex and critical needs. Choosing where to go may depend a lot on exactly what our treatment will entail.
As with a doctor's office, a clinic is typically less expensive than an ER. An average clinic visit can range from about $100 to $150, depending on the level of treatment and insurance. Uninsured people will pay the cost of a visit, and possibly additional charges for care like X-rays, lab tests or shots.
And be warned, some clinics do not accept Medicaid or ARKids First insurance. I suggest calling around to find the best price in your area before you have an emergency.
As with a normal doctor visit, it's a good idea to bring a list of all medications, including over-the-counter medicine, vitamins and supplements to an urgent care clinic. The list should also include the dosage and how often you take them.
If you feel something coming on, it's worth trying to get an appointment with your primary care doctor. They will be familiar with your health history, treatments that may have worked best in the past and whether you have other medical conditions that need to be taken into consideration.
For those of us who tend to put off going to the doctor until we can't wait, urgent care clinics are an alternative.
Email me at:
rboggs@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 09/24/2018