Greensboro, N.C. - Back in the day, many of us had a family doctor. But, today, most of us don't have a family doctor...or when it's sick season-- you can't get an appointment.
That's where urgent care or walk-in clinics come in.
Rebecca Haizlip relies on walk-in clinics like Optimus Urgent Care. She typically doesn't get to establish a relationship with a doctor, which some would see as a down-side. However, she thinks that's actually a good thing.
"I think you get a lot of different experiences and opinions from different doctors who are specialized in the same field, but know a little bit different," Haizlip said.
Optimus Urgent Care doctor Douglas Blevins said, "We certainly are not against people going to primary care. We encourage people to see their primary care doctor, but having been in primary care as well as consultant care for three decades, I can tell that when oftentimes when there's a lot of illness in a community, it's very difficult to get an appointment."
Availability and time are two key benefits of walk-in clinics. Plus, walk-in clinics sometimes have equipment traditional doctor's offices don't always have -- like an x-ray machine.
In addition, you don't need an appointment and most clinics try to get you into a room within twenty minutes.
Walk-in clinics can treat anything from the common cold to minor fractures.
If you're having chest pains or anything potentially life-threatening, then you need to head to the emergency room.
Alan Davidson, a Cone Health emergency room doctor said, "I think in our current economy, we're seeing more people who use the emergency department as primary care doctors. Obviously, it's best if you have your own doctor who knows your conditions and you more. Whereas in the emergency department, we often don't know anything about you and it's a struggle to piece together the puzzle."
If you are going to an urgent care or emergency doctor, make sure you have the answers to the following questions:
What's your personal medical and family history?
What medicines are you taking?
What medicines are you allergic to?
What health issue are you having right now?
It's also a good idea to write down the answers to those questions and keep them on a card in your wallet or purse. Then, if there ever is an emergency, you will have that information with you and ready to go.
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