Currently, there are approximately 20,000 physicians that specialize in urgent care medicine. On a weekly basis, the Urgent Care Association reports that roughly three million patients visit urgent care clinics to receive treatment. Since 85% of these walk in urgent care clinics are open throughout the entire week, individuals and their families are able to receive the medical care that they need.
Walk in urgent care clinics can assist patients with a variety of medical issues. Four out of five of these facilities, for example, are able to provide fracture care. Urgent care clinics can also take care of ankle and other types of sprains. Estimates indicate that there are 25,000 people in the United States that experience an ankle sprain every day.
Colds and flus are also common ailments that can be treated at an urgent care clinic. Recent reports show that Americans come down with a billion colds every year. When flu season arrives, an average of five to 20% of the United States’ population becomes ill with one or more strains of flu.
A large percentage of Americans have allergies that can also be evaluated and treated at an urgent care clinic. One of the more prevalent allergies that affects 85% of the population is poison ivy. Since some individuals may not be aware that they have a particular allergy, when they experience an adverse reaction to a spider or other type of bite, an urgent care clinic will be able to evaluate and treat this situation. Food allergies are also common, and these, too, can be addressed at an urgent care facility.
Urgent care clinics can also provide treatment for a variety of infections. Urinary tract infections are quite common, and result in 8.1 million physician visits every year. If a small cut or bruise becomes infected, it’s also important to seek treatment if these don’t respond to standard over-the-counter remedies.
When someone has an upper respiratory condition, is short of breath, or experiencing vertigo, they can also be seen at a walk-in clinic. Since these issues might be signs of a serious condition, seeking medical intervention is vital.
It’s also important to note that individuals can visit an urgent care clinic for preventative care. This includes obtaining flu shots and other types of vaccinations. A patient can also obtain a sports or other type of physical examination at a walk in urgent care clinic.
Since walk in urgent care clinics can evaluate and treat these and other medical issues, they are a convenient option for people in need of immediate care. Given that this is a growing field of medicine, more and more Americans are receiving quality medical care at these facilities.
