It is a simple fact of life that even healthy Americans will sometimes get injured or come down will an illness, or they may develop the need for prescription drugs, such as for treating back pain or insulin for diabetics. When someone is hurt or if they fall ill, it is critical to know what different types of medical facilities are out there, and what ailments are treated at each one. A 24 hour walk in clinic, for example, may be a great place to get a drug prescription filled out, but it is the wrong place for a broken leg or a stab wound. Pediatricians and private physicians are another matter entirely, and they may require an appointment to be made ahead of time. For finding such places at any time of day, a person may enter “24 hour emergency clinics near me” to find a clinic for a cut or a broken finger, and get the name and address of such a place. Meanwhile, for issues like chest pain or life-threatening injuries or illness, going to an emergency center such as a hospital’s ER or intensive care unit is a must, and finding one on time can save a life. Searching “hospitals near me” or “24 hour emergency clinics near me” is an important step to take.
Emergency Care
A hospital and its emergency room are for the most serious and life-threatening medical issues, and getting a person to one on time can save a life. Looking for “24 hour emergency clinics near me” may yield some results, but it may also help to find a proper hospital; still, entering “24 hour emergency clinics near me” may help if a person is unsure what type of facility to visit.
Why go to an emergency room? Some medical conditions or injuries are life-threatening, and are beyond the scope of what a walk in clinic could handle. Stab wounds, bullet wounds, broken arms or legs, heart attacks, strokes, or even breathing difficulties call for a visit to the emergency room. There, trained doctors and physicians can stabilize a patient and get them out of harm’s way until they can be treated, and these professionals will have the right training and equipment to handle this. However, it has been found that not everyone who visits the ER even needs it; about 44% to 65% of ER episodes could have been handled at a walk in clinic instead, and this means the patient is spending more on medical care than they need to, and they are taking up space that a victim with a life-threatening problem may need. Those with more minor, non life-threatening conditions are encouraged to instead visit a 24 hour walk in clinic, or any clinic that is open at the time.
A Medical Clinic
Nurse practitioners and physicians will be the main staff at a walk in clinic, along with pharmaceutical professionals, and they may treat a variety of health problems that may come up in day to day life. The common cold and flu can be treated at such a clinic, for example, with medicine that is offered, especially for bad cases that are taking a long time to recede on their own. Four out of five urgent care clinics will also treat bone fractures, and ankle and wrist sprains are another common ailment that a clinic’s staff can treat. Skin problems like rashes or cuts can be treated here (the latter with stitches), and upper respiratory issues are also often taken care of. Drug prescriptions may be refilled at such a place.
If someone is unsure if their health issue or that of a family member is best treated at a hospital or a clinic, they can enter “24 hour emergency clinics near me” and find local health centers and contact them, or read their descriptions, to see what is most suitable. A person can also take advantage of retail clinics for more mundane health issues, and these are clinics that are built into major retailers like Target, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart, and these places have ample parking and are easy to find. They will also typically contain a pharmacy, among other services, and will have trained professionals on staff.
