Urgent Care Suffolk County Ny

By Author: PBMC Health
Total Articles: 5
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Urgent care centers are typically open weekday evenings and during regular business hours on Saturday and Sunday. It is an appropriate setting for treating minor injuries and illnesses. However, urgent care should not replace regular doctor visits. Patients should also not depend on it for diagnosis of a chronic or serious medical condition. It is vitally important for patients to request that their record of treatment at urgent care is forwarded to their primary physician. This is the best way to ensure continuity of care.

Cost Differences

Most health insurance plans in the United States charge the same co-pay for an urgent care visit as an appointment with the patient's regular doctor. The same cannot be said for visiting the local emergency room. The portion that the patient must pay may be up to 10 times higher than a regular co-pay. Insurance companies pass on more of the financial burden to patients to discourage unnecessary emergency room use. Visiting the emergency room for a something like a sprained ankle is costly for insurance companies and takes resources away from people in life-threatening situations.

Appointments ...
... Not Required But Recommended

Like an emergency room, patients can walk into an urgent care center without an appointment. The time it takes to see a doctor depends on the number of people waiting and the urgency of the illness or injury. A nurse interviews all patients who check in and then decides on the priority of their situation. Scheduling an appointment may eliminate some wait time, but the patient needs to understand that he or she may get bumped if someone arrives with a more urgent medical need.

Getting a Prescription in Urgent Care

If the patient needs a prescription to treat his or her condition, an urgent care doctor can prescribe one. Usually this is for the shortest amount of time possible to treat the illness or injury. In the event that the patient requires a refill, the best thing to do is speak to his or her regular doctor during normal business hours.

Follow-Up is Important

Urgent care doctors end most appointments by telling the patient to visit his or her primary care physician to ensure that the condition has improved. This is an important part of the treatment plan. Doctors in urgent care see only a small part of the patient's problem and treat it accordingly. If the patient does not follow up in primary care, there is a good chance of the health condition returning. In the case of an injury, it may not heal properly if the patient neglects to see his or her regular doctor for ongoing monitoring.Visit at pbmchealth.org for more info.