If you’ve never considered the benefits of urgent care services over going to the emergency room, you may not know why people prefer urgent care more. Urgent care offers all the help you’d need for a variety of situations under one roof. Here’s everything you need to know about getting help at the urgent care and why you should choose this option.

Urgent Care is Open for Longer Than You Realize

Many people think they cannot make it to an urgent care clinic if it’s a certain time, and opt for the emergency room instead. This is not true, and you can get the help even if it’s after 4 PM at most places. Many urgent care services are open after 7 PM during weeknights and often there are open on Saturdays, too. If you cannot get into your regular doctor but would rather not deal with the emergency room, this is the perfect option for you. You can enjoy later hours than a regular doctor without worrying about waiting longer than needed at the emergency room.

Urgent Care Centers Can Treat a Variety of Problems

Urgent care clinics can treat many problems. If you’re dealing with an illness such as the flu, or need help with a fracture, urgent care centers have you covered. Over 75% of centers can assist patients with fracture care, meaning they’ll have less of a waiting period than if they went to the emergency room. You can avoid long lines and find yourself in less pain because you’re getting seen sooner in the urgent care than if you had gone to a traditional ER for help.

Going to the Urgent Care Clinic is Cheaper Than the Emergency Room

Going to the emergency room can help save money when you get billed by your insurance. If you have an illness such as a cold or need other treatment that isn’t defined in the same manner as an emergency, you can benefit from going to urgent care. Your insurance will bill you less, and you won’t deal with waiting around as much as if you had gone to the ER. You’re also freeing up resources for other people who need it, allowing doctors to use their time wisely and help everyone get seen as quickly as possible based on what their problem is.

Using urgent care services doesn’t have to be difficult. You can use these services normally later than when your doctor closes. Urgent care centers can treat everything from colds and the flu to giving you an IV if necessary. Urgent care is normally cheaper than going to the emergency room, making it cheaper and more effective to use these services rather than waiting around for long periods of time. If you or your family find yourselves in need of medical help outside of regular doctor hours, make use or your local urgent care services.