Are you searching for a convenient quality and cost effective ER alternative? Have you considered the benefits of a combination, or hybrid, urgent care and emergency room facility?

These facilities offer emergency-trained doctors as well as ER care without the wait of a traditional hospital emergency room. Furthermore, urgent care and clinics also ofter a variety of non-emergency treatments and services at a more affordable rate. In addition to treating minor burns and back pain, they also provide treatments for the flu.

Many people visit a hospital emergency room for non-emergency situations. A private study conducted by Millman, for example, showed that 44%-to-65% of these ER visits could have been handled in an urgent care clinic rather than the hospital.

It is well-known that hospital ER visits are costly. This is particularly the case when someone has a medical situation that could be treated in an urgent care setting. The average cost difference is considerable, with an urgent care facility usually charging $226, and a hospital emergency room usually charging $2,039.

Over the past ten years, emergency room visits have increased by 22%. While the reasons for this will vary, when life-threatening, these individuals should go to the emergency room. One of the reasons that people in the United States rely so heavily on this system, however, is due to the 24-hour access. Many urgent care and clinics are also available on a 24-hour basis.

According to the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine, an average of 4.5 patients are seen by an urgent care physician on an hourly basis. This does, of course, depend on the patient’s condition and whether it is severe. In this case, urgent care and clinics may see fewer patients per hour in order to provide timely primary medical care.

Urgent Care Medicine is a growing field, and there are approximately 20,000 physicians practicing it today.
New hybrid clinics are being opened on a daily basis, and there are roughly 9,300 walk-in clinics available throughout the United States. Given corporate buy-overs, expansions, and consolidations, however, the number of available clinics do fluctuate.

When someone has a minor injury or illness, visiting an urgent care facility rather than a traditional hospital emergency room makes sense on multiple levels. In addition to saving valuable time and money, this can also make a difference in the quality of care received.

It’s important to take into consideration that there are roughly 110 million emergency room visits every year,. Combined with the results of Millman’s study that showed 44%-to-65% of these visits could have been treated in an urgent care clinic, knowing more about the best in urgent care services can begin to address this situation.