While there are quite a few urgent care centers located throughout the country, many people may not be aware of what services are provided at these facilities. Currently, there are approximately 20,000 physicians that practice within this expanding field of medicine. The Urgent Care Association of America, for example, reported that roughly three million patients visit urgent care clinics every week.

There are a variety of reasons why someone would visit an urgent care center for evaluation and treatment. Ankle sprains, bone fractures, colds, and urinary tract infections are just of few of the issues that can be addressed at one of these facilities. Recent reports have indicated that 25,000 Americans sprain their ankle every day. Bone fractures are also quite prevalent, and four out of five of these facilities are able to take care of these types of injuries.

Even though many people may refer to “cold season,” this illness can occur throughout the year. On an annual basis, people living in the United States come down with about one billion colds. Urinary tract infections are another reason why people need to visit a doctor. Every year, these infections account for roughly 8.1 doctor visits.

It’s important to remember that you can visit many urgent care facilities without an appointment. When you have the option of visiting a walk in urgent care center, this can make it that much more convenient to obtain a
sports physical, a flu shot, or another type of evaluation or treatment. Another reason why these centers are so convenient is because they tend to have extended hours in the morning and in the evening. Others, or about 85% of urgent care clinics are available to see patients throughout the entire week.

There’s an excellent chance that there’s an urgent care location near your home or place of business. If you haven’t been to one of these clinics before, it makes sense to make note of where they are located for future reference. Since these clinics provide immediate medical as well as preventative care, it also makes sense to visit one in your area to learn about all of the services and benefits that they provide.