Urgent care places - safe?

[Lakewood90712]

ER or Urgent care for cut's and sutures? If you need it to look pretty (minimal scar) , wait for the plastic surgeons office to open.

For other cuts where blood loss is not an issue , 1, Wash wound thoroughly with hand soap, 2 Follow with Hydrogen peroxide, then 3 Super Glue.

Cost $1.99

If infection occurs, see the doc.

PS, Older Brother nearly lost eyesight in one eye,very bad torn retina , urgent care said he was ok.

 

[shortstop14]

Care we've received a couple of times at Urgent Care (dislocated finger, deep cut in leg) has been good and reasonable quick.

But I did just discover that my health insurance doesn't cover out-of-network Urgency Care at any level. Apparently we have to go to an emergency room when we're out of the area, even for a cut. Seems like a short-sighted policy, if costs are lower at Urgent Care.

 

[MRG]

What makes you think the ER is "safe"?
I remember one visit where the ER doc was given my records from a year prior! Docs arguing with me over why I'm there!

Couple of times we've used them they were ok. Actually better then DWs then PCP.

 

[MuirWannabe]

What makes you think the ER is "safe"?
I remember one visit where the ER doc was given my records from a year prior! Docs arguing with me over why I'm there!

Couple of times we've used them they were ok. Actually better then DWs then PCP.

Well, perhaps they are not. But at least this one read my EKG correctly unlike the urgent care.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Scary about the EKG! If I needed stitches or thought I might, or thought something might need an xray, I'd go right to the ER. For minor issues I occasionally go to a satellite walk-in urgent care that is part of the hospital system that all my docs belong to as it's easier than getting a last minute appt with my doc. I've been there for an eye infection, the flu, and a UTI, all treated well, and then may have a follow-up with the doc. Medicare etc paid.

Most hospitals here seem to have their own urgent care places so check those out?

 

[bbbamI]

We have a nurse helpline (24 hours a day) thru our medical coverage (United Health Care). We've used it several times in the past and it's great. Not sure all medical providers have that option but it's worth a look to check and see if it's available with your plan.

Of course there are times when you just have to jump in the car and get attention right away.

 

[donheff]

If you have an urgent care facility nearby you should research it to find out whether it will meet your needs when/if they arise. We have an excellent facility a block from our house. It is part of Medstar which also includes our GP's practice as well as surgeons that have treated DW and I. We have both used it and would rate it excellent for service and quality. If you get shot or have a heart attack head to the ER. Lots of other stuff that can't wait but doesn't appear life threatening, we would go to urgent care.

 

[ponyboy]

In a couple years the only place to see a doctor will be at urgent care. These places are parts of mega companies that can afford malpractice insurance and all the other high cost of doing this type of business.

Private practices are disappearing if you havent figured that out already.

 

[Bir48die]

Urgent Care facilities do serve a purpose. If you can't get in to see your doctor (common) and it's not serious enough for the ER (plus those wait time are awful). Have used them many times with success.

That being said maybe ten years ago I have a stabbing pain in my side. I have my girlfriend (now DW) take me to Urgent Care. I have done some research prior and think I have burst appendix. The doctor there says she doesn't think so and makes me assume the position and does the two finger test through the back door as we say. I tell her I really don't think it's my prostate. Sends me home.

I give it another hour or two and have her take me to the ER which is a two hour wait while writhing in pain. Of course they give me drugs and do a CAT scan and it's a mess. Rush me to operating room to remove and clean up.

Moral of the story is they're mostly right but don't see them for anything out of scope.

 

[MRG]

Definitely great for some ailments.
I recall prior to them DW having a bad case of poison ivy over a 3 day 4th of July weekend. We waited for 6 hours one day, gave up and came back after the fireworks were over the next day. Only waited 4 hours till DW could get cortisone.

 

[Koolau]

Between DW and the kids, we've been perhaps 7 or 8 times to various Urgent Care offices. Never a problem. Still, all were associated with larger health care providers (primarily hospitals.)

Agree that for the more routine things, avoid the emergency room like the plague. They triage and you can wait hours to be seen for stitches or even broken bones. Of course, not all urgent cares can handle broken bones, so you could be caught between a rock and a hard place. YMMV

 

[Just_Steve]

Urgent Care facilities do serve a purpose. If you can't get in to see your doctor (common) and it's not serious enough for the ER (plus those wait time are awful). Have used them many times with success.

That being said maybe ten years ago I have a stabbing pain in my side. I have my girlfriend (now DW) take me to Urgent Care. I have done some research prior and think I have burst appendix. The doctor there says she doesn't think so and makes me assume the position and does the two finger test through the back door as we say. I tell her I really don't think it's my prostate. Sends me home.

I give it another hour or two and have her take me to the ER which is a two hour wait while writhing in pain. Of course they give me drugs and do a CAT scan and it's a mess. Rush me to operating room to remove and clean up.

Moral of the story is they're mostly right but don't see them for anything out of scope.

If you thought you had a burst appendix why in the world would you go to an urgent care? That is way, way beyond their scope of care.

 

[MuirWannabe]

We probably have 5 of these urgent care places within five miles of home. I'm going to research them and look for one closely associated with a local hospital. Thanks for the suggestion. It will help to be ready next time I do something stupid which could be any minute.

Muir

 

[W2R]

I haven't needed an urgent care place, or the ER, for decades.

Back when I was younger and doing riskier things, I preferred the urgent care place because there wasn't much if any waiting time.

IIRC they take insurance like every place else. Sometimes insurance pays more if you go to an ER than if you go to urgent care or to your doctor.

 

[jollystomper]

Never had a problem with urgent care. on our current Megacorp health insurance plan it is much cheaper to go to an urgent care center first instead of the ER. Our family doctor's practice and the local hospital have urgent care locations set up and it works well.

Once I was sent from our doctor's urgent care center the ER via ambulance, it was no big deal and fortunately there was nothing major wrong. The ER charge was also lower since I had been sent there from the urgent care facility, rather than going in myself.

 

[Hermit]

I have a choice of Urgent Care or the hospital for xrays prescribed by my doctor. I have used both. There was not a lot of difference in time or anything. The urgent care is attached to the premier hospital in the next big city. The hospital sends hard cases to the big city too. The town hospital does have an ER. I have taken someone with diabetes issues there and it seems to be a good place, but not like a large city ER.