Urgent care centers have been springing up across the country. In the ten years between 2014 and 2024, they grew in number from 7,000 to more than 15,000, reports Simar Bejaj for The New York Times. And, lots of Americans are turning to them, sometimes when they should and sometimes when they would be better off at the ER.
Part of the reason so many people use urgent care centers is that it is challenging to find a primary care doctor. But, if you have a primary care doctor, always check with that doctor before going to an urgent care center. Urgent care centers are primarily staffed by nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other health care providers who are not physicians.
What’s great about urgent care centers is that they are usually open in the evenings and weekends, when it can be hard to see a doctor. And, for sure, they cost less than an emergency room visit and you will get care far more quickly.
Consider using an urgent care center when you find yourself not feeling well or hurt yourself and feel like you need treatment, but not when you feel that your life is at risk.
Visit the urgent care center if you have a cold or sprain your ankle or have a skin rash or cut. The urgent care center can take X-rays, do blood work and other basic tests.
Do not visit an urgent care center if you think you might be having a heart attack or stroke or any other serious health condition. In these cases, go to the ER. Also, if you have several chronic conditions or complex health care needs that a physician should treat, you are likely best off at the ER or your doctor’s office.
Urgent care centers won’t be able to study your medical history, so they won’t have a comprehensive sense of your condition. As a result, they might not be able to diagnose your condition appropriately. If they do provide you with treatment, make sure you keep a record of what they did to share with your doctor and include in your medical record.
As with all things, some urgent care centers are better than others. So, ask your doctor to recommend one. If that’s not possible, check out your urgent care options when you are feeling good, and decide which one would be the best for you if you should need urgent care. Some are less good about prescribing medicines. And, make sure the one you choose is in your health plan’s network and connected with your hospital.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Six reasons you need a primary care doctor in this age of specialization
- Do I need a primary care doctor?
- Questions for your primary care doctor if you have Medicare
- Emergency or urgent care? Why it matters
- Four questions to ask yourself about your primary care doctor
