In 2009, fewer medical school seniors selected Family Medicine as their specialty than in 2008. There are plenty of reasons to point to as a reason for this statistic but one stands out amongst the pack. The number one reason deals with the rise of urgent facilities as they dominate emergency centers. This is because urgent care centers treats injury and illness. Here are all of the facts on how urgent care centers treats injury and illness.
The urgent care center market is highly fragmented, according to HealthCare Appraisers. Most operators own fewer than three centers and don’t have a dominant market presence. This is great for patients because it requires urgent care centers to compete which means they prioritize treats injury and illness.
While 44% to 65% of all emergency room episodes could have been treated at urgent care locations according to a recent study, there are certain times when it’s much more appropriate to seek out medical treatment at the emergency rooms. This means that while urgent care centers treats injury and illness, make sure you are able to distinguish what is life-threatening and what is not!
More than 70% of emergency visits involving patients with consumer-sponsored insurance coverage are for non-emergency or preventable conditions. This type of lingo is going to confuse some and that is why it is great to have access to a talented physician or information that can help you understand your insurance coverage. However, you can easily visit urgent care centers which treats injury and illness.
According to the Urgent Care Association of America’s 2016 Benchmarking Report, there are 7,357 urgent care centers in the United States. This marks an increase from 2015’s count of 6,707. People are more trusting of urgent care centers as information spreads on their abilities to treats injury and illness.
Only 3% of patients who come to an urgent care center need to be diverted to an emergency department, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. This is the impressive statistic that helps people understand just how urgent care centers treats injury and illness. Thus, you should not be afraid to trust an urgent care clinic with your health!
In the 2015 fiscal year, urgent care centers reported seeing an average of nearly 12,000 patients. That amounts to an average of three patient care visits per hour or 32 visits each day. Urgent care centers and walk in clinics are on the come up in the United States. Sooner than later, everyone will know how they treats injury and illness.
According to the Urgent Care Association of America’s 2016 Benchmarking Report, 92% of urgent care centers maintained wait times of 30 minutes or less in 2015. This is one of the true attractions of urgent care centers. Patients who need quick treatment for bronchitis or a swollen ankle sprain can get the help they need quite swiftly!
More than one quarter, which is equal to 27%, of all United States patents, reported in 2016 that they had visited an urgent care center in the last two years. The Urgent Care Association of America’s 2016 Benchmarking Report found that the most common illnesses diagnosed at urgent care centers in 2015 were an acute upper respiratory infection, acute sinusitis, acute pharyngitis, cough, and acute bronchitis. Thus, it is easy to understand how urgent care centers treats injury and illness.
Closing Thoughts On Urgent Care Centers
If you are a patient dealing with a minor issue that is not life threatening then you need to visit an urgent care. As previously mentioned, it is quite rare for an urgent care facility to send someone to an emergency room. Thus, this means that they treats injury and illness at a high-pace and they do it quite well.
