Urgent care centers provide crucial medical care for non-life-threatening medical concerns. Urgent care locations are plentiful and highly convenient. On average, visits to an urgent care clinic cost less than a trip to a primary care doctor’s office. These medical facilities offer rapid and high-quality care to patients who do not have health insurance or are under-insured, and often save patients an unnecessary trip to the emergency room. However, there are a few basic facts about urgent care facilities that you should keep in mind before you go.

Online Urgent Care Can Save You Time and Money

Urgent care centers are less expensive and time-consuming than seeking emergency department care. Because emergency rooms care for severely sick or injured patients with life-threatening conditions first, you might experience wait times of over an hour if you’re seeking care for a health problem that is not considered a medical emergency. While you may pay less and wait less for an urgent care center visit, you can save even more time and money by booking an online urgent care appointment.

Online urgent care is a form of telehealth appointment that connects patients directly to a licensed health care provider via video conference platforms (like Skype or Facetime). During these visits, you can discuss symptoms you are experiencing, get a diagnosis, and explore treatment options for various health conditions.

Some medical conditions that can be diagnosed and treated over video include:

• Common cold
  
• Flu symptoms
  
• COVID-19
  
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  
• Sore throat
  
• Toothaches
  
• Sinus infection
  
• Skin infection
  
• Skin rash
  
• Poison ivy rash
  
• Allergic reaction symptoms
  
• Vaginal infections
  
• Bacterial vaginosis
  
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
  
• Back pain
  
• Asthma-related shortness of breath
  
• Allergies
  
• Migraines
  
• STI screenings
  
  

Urgent care providers can write prescriptions and offer treatment plans during this video visit. In some cases, however, an in-person visit may be required. Minor injuries (like sprains or small broken bones in the hand or foot), wounds that require stitches, and illnesses like strep throat may require an in-person examination for diagnosis and treatment. If an in-person visit is needed, your provider will discuss these next steps with you.

Prep for Your Online Appointment

Maximize your online urgent care appointment by preparing beforehand. Online urgent care visits are conducted over a video conferencing platform. Ensure you have a fast and reliable internet connection before logging onto your appointment. Because you will be discussing your health history, medications you are taking, and symptoms you are experiencing, you should find a quiet space with some privacy to speak about your medical situation without worrying about people around you interrupting or listening in on your conversation.

In addition, your appointment will likely be with a health care provider you’ve never met. They will probably have no context for any pre-existing conditions you have been diagnosed with, the medication (and dosage) you are taking, or your family medical history. You should also tell them if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to become pregnant. Additionally, inform the provider about any allergies you have (especially allergies to medication) and any adverse reactions to medication you previously experienced. Gather information about these elements to provide as comprehensive a picture of your health as possible.

While preparation is not mandatory for online urgent care, getting your medical information together before your appointment helps ensure the best use of your time.

Check Wait Times Online

If you need to visit an urgent care center in person, you can check the clinic’s wait times online. Most urgent care centers are walk-in clinics, meaning you don’t need an appointment to be seen. However, due to the increasing popularity and availability of urgent care, you may have to wait 30 minutes to an hour before you are seen. Wait times vary depending on the location and the time of day. Early morning and late afternoon are often the busiest, as people try to be seen for care before work (or school) or just after.

While you certainly can’t plan when your health concerns will occur, you may experience quicker wait times by seeking care in the middle of the day or after hours. Many clinics will list their average wait times online, so you can determine the most convenient time for you to go. In addition, many clinics offer online check-in and printable health history forms. Checking in online puts your name on the waitlist, like a reservation at a restaurant, which saves you from having to wait in the clinic. Filling out the clinic’s health history form alone can save you considerable time before being seen.

You Will Likely See an NP or PA

Most urgent care centers have a doctor, usually a primary care physician, on staff. The majority of urgent care staff is made up of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs). NPs and PAs are highly qualified health care providers with extensive clinical training and education. Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants can diagnose and treat many medical conditions and injuries. They can prescribe medication and order follow-up testing if needed.

Regardless of the provider you see, they will be able to offer medical advice and treatment options for your health concern. Depending on their findings, they may recommend you follow up with your primary care physician.

Urgent Care for Primary Care

While we do not recommend ditching your primary care provider for regular urgent care visits, these facilities offer many primary care services for those in a pinch. Providers in an urgent care setting have the training and clinical experience necessary to offer physical exams, sports physicals, and routine check-ups. Many clinics also offer diagnostic imaging services (like X-rays) and preventive care (like vaccinations). If you’re going to an urgent care center in person, we recommend checking the clinic’s site beforehand to see what services they offer.

Establishing an ongoing relationship with a primary care physician has its advantages. You will likely see different urgent care providers during every visit. Primary care providers often work with the same patients year after year, meaning they have a more nuanced and informed knowledge of that individual’s health history, medication usage, and specific health concerns (like pre-existing chronic conditions). Some urgent care centers are known to over-prescribe medication, leading to potentially harmful side effects. A regular primary care provider has a deeper understanding of your specific issues and what kind of treatment you respond best to.

That said, primary care clinics do not offer walk-in services and sometimes have no appointment slots for days or weeks. In addition, primary care services can be significantly more expensive for uninsured or underinsured individuals. If you need specific assistance right away or are worried about coverage for your visit, check to see what services your nearest urgent care center offers.

Leave Emergencies to the Emergency Room

While urgent care centers offer walk-in medical care, they are not suitable for life-threatening medical emergencies.

Some signs of life-threatening emergencies include:

• Chest pain (common during heart attacks)
  
• Difficulty breathing
  
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
  
• Slurred speech
  
• Fainting
  
• Head injury
  
• Concussions
  
• Eye injuries
  
• Broken bones
  
• Severe pain
  
• Abdominal pain
  
• Fever symptoms accompanied by skin rash
  
• Seizures
  
• Deep wounds
  
  

If you or a loved one are experiencing any of the symptoms above, do not go to an urgent care center. Call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. Do not drive yourself to the emergency department. You should call an ambulance or arrange a ride to the emergency room.

Urgent care centers offer high-quality care for non-life-threatening medical emergencies. To save time and money, book an online urgent care visit on Sesame. These telehealth appointments connect patients directly to licensed health care providers at a fraction of the cost of an in-person visit. Health care providers can diagnose and treat many medical conditions over video. They can even write a prescription for medication to be picked up at your local pharmacy if needed. Skip the wait times and save on care when you book an online urgent care visit on Sesame.

Sources:

• Mitrione, Stephen. Seven Secrets You Should Know About Urgent Care. Allina Health. allinahealth.org. 2020.
  
• Meyersohn, Nathaniel. Why urgent care centers are popping up everywhere. CNN. cnn.com. 2023.
  
• Scher, Avichai. Urgent care centers overprescribe antibiotics, study finds. NBS News. nbcnews.com. 2018.
  
• Lambe S, Washington DL, Fink A, Laouri M, Liu H, Scura Fosse J, Brook RH, Asch SM. Waiting times in California's emergency departments. Ann Emerg Med. 2003 Jan;41(1):35-44. doi: 10.1067/mem.2003.2. PMID: 12514681.
  

Sesame content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern, it is critical to seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions. If you are facing a medical emergency, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room immediately.

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