No one likes going to the ER (although sometimes that is exactly what you need.) But for more minor emergencies, there are times when making an appointment with your physician fast enough to get care is just impossible. The fact is that many doctor’s offices are overbooked and simply unable to meet your immediate needs. But what do you do when your situation requires immediate attention but does not warrant an ER visit? Come to Multicare Physicians! We are ready and willing to meet with you and see if we can help your needs.

What situations are we equipped to treat?

Unforeseen Circumstances

If a severe abdominal pain woke you up in the middle of a night, what would you do? What if you trip after climbing a flight of stairs you trip? How would you handle your swollen and hurting ankle? On a lovely weekend, you find your child is down with a high fever or having pain in the eyes? And, you know your regular practitioner is closed. What is it that you should do?

These are conditions which might not be life threatening but are severe enough to warrant urgent medical care. As complex as these situations might seem, the uncertainty of where to go adds further stress to an already tense situation.

Knowing whether to visit an urgent care clinic or heading straight to an emergency room could save you precious time as well as money. Unless you have a degree in medicine, it can be quite confusing to decide whether your situation requires emergency care or urgent care.

Urgent Care vs. Emergency Care

Emergency room visits are usually associated with long wait-times and are also more expensive. In a study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, it was found that almost half the patients who visited an ER did so because the doctor’s they normally visit were closed.

An urgent care clinic is a walk-in facility that provides medical help outside of a hospital’s ER. They are well-equipped to treat illnesses and injuries that need immediate attention but are not grave enough to visit an emergency room. Any medical condition which is not life threatening can be treated effectively and efficiently at an urgent care clinic.

On the other hand, patients with life threatening and/or dangerous conditions should be taken to an emergency room immediately. Patients suffering from a heart attack or accidental cases requiring complex surgeries cannot be treated at an urgent care clinic and should be moved to an ER. Urgent care clinics are not fully equipped to handle such cases.

Urgent care clinics are facilities that plug the gap between a traditional emergency room of a hospital and the office of your family doctor when they are closed. In an urgent care clinic you can walk-in without an appointment and walk out completely satisfied with the services they offer.

5 Signs you need to go to an Urgent Care Clinic If you are experiencing some of these symptoms, it is a good sign you should immediately plan a trip to an urgent care clinic:

1. A Non Life-Threatening Injury That is Causing Extreme Pain

John was playing with his younger brothers when he slipped on the stairs and turned his right feet. He instantly started shouting in pain and was unable to put pressure on his foot. John’s mother knew that something was not right and drove him to an urgent care clinic where he was attended to in 35 minutes flat. He was X-rayed, and his affected area was wrapped in a temporary cast. He was also given medication for pain and inflammation. John and his mother both walked out of the facility all smiles.

For these injuries, which are not life threatening but can cause a lot of pain and anguish, you should visit an urgent care clinic.

2. When You are Sick For Days and Showing Little to No Recovery

Maria was suffering from a severe cough, cold and congestion. Hoping it would go away on its own, Maria took over the counter medication for a couple of days. But, things did not improve. She soon realized it was too late to make an appointment with her primary care physician. She also realized that without antibiotics or a specific prescription to meet her needs, things were not going to get better any time soon.So, Maria decided to visit an urgent care clinic. She got the diagnosis and treatment she needed and was on her way to full recovery within a couple of days.

3. Large Cuts or Tears in the Skin After a Minor Accident

While climbing up a small cliff near a lake in, Ben slipped on a very sharp-edged rock that cut a small hole in the bottom of his foot. He thought the bleeding would stop quickly, but it didn’t. So, he knew he needed to see a doctor but also knew it wasn’t serious enough to spend hours in an ER waiting room. So, he went to a local urgent care clinic, where a doctor stitched it right up, prescribed Ben with antibiotics and sent him on his way.

Accidents like Ben’s that are not life-threatening can often be conveniently and effectively be treated at an urgent care clinic.

If you live in or around Lake Mary and are experiencing one of these situations, give Multicare Physicians a call. We are a family practice that is well-versed in a wide variety of areas, such as geriatrics, women’s health, sports medicine, and post-acute care. We can give you the help you need, with patients and compassion.

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