The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that around 129 million Americans have one or more chronic conditions. Five of the 10 most prevalent chronic health conditions are preventable and/or treatable. More alarming is that 42% of Americans with a chronic condition have two or more, and 12% have five or more.
In cities and towns across the nation, there are shortages of doctors. In California alone, the California Healthcare Foundation reports that around 33% of Californians live in towns or cities where there are not enough primary care providers. This means more people are turning to urgent care clinics for help.
What Are the 10 Most Common Chronic Diseases in Older Adults?
Four risk factors make you more likely to experience a chronic health condition. They are smoking, poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and insufficient exercise. The 10 most common chronic conditions among all adults are as follows.
Asthma (8.7% of U.S. adults)
Cancer (6.6%)
Chronic kidney disease (14%)
COPD (6.5%)
Coronary heart disease (7%)
Depression (Over 8%)
Diabetes (11.6%)
High blood pressure (48.1%)
High cholesterol (11.5%)
Obesity (40.3%)
Those are just the chronic conditions in all adult age groups. If you look at the chronic health conditions in adults aged 65 or older, the list is slightly different.
High blood pressure (60%)
High cholesterol (51%)
Obesity (42%)
Arthritis (35%)
Coronary heart disease (29%)
Diabetes (27%)
Chronic kidney disease (25%)
Depression (16%)
Heart failure (15%)
Alzheimer’s and dementia (12%)
How Does a Care Team Manage Chronic Care Conditions in an Urgent Care Setting?
The problem with patient care in an urgent care setting is that doctors have to be fast. It’s uncommon for a doctor to have hours to spend with one patient. A diagnosis and treatment plan has to be made quickly or referrals to a specialist are made. Doctors don’t have a lot of time for in-depth consultations and development of care plans.
Another issue is that a patient may not have a primary care provider. Some practices are so busy that patients have a resident for a year or two and are switched again. This can make consulting with a patient’s PCP challenging for an urgent care doctor.
If the right care plan isn’t created, there is a chance the condition will worsen. But, it also can take a lot of testing and consultations to get the diagnosis and treatment plan right. That’s why an urgent care doctor must be able to follow protocols on when to refer patients to specialists. If you’re the patient being given a referral, you need to follow the recommendation or risk having your condition worsen.
What Are the Benefits of Managing Chronic Conditions in Urgent Care?
While there are challenges, it’s also important to see a doctor as often as you can to learn more about your condition. An urgent care doctor can do things like run routine blood tests, prescribe necessary medications, and make sure your immunizations are up-to-date.
Heart disease is prevalent in the nation, and you may need to see a doctor for regular EKGs and blood work. Instead of finding time with your doctor, a walk-in visit with urgent care simplifies this requirement.
If you have a primary care physician, pair your regular doctor visits with the availability of after-hour or weekend care at an urgent care center. You can also arrange to have blood work and immunizations taken care of at an urgent care clinic. If you need to have your blood pressure taken by a professional each week or month, urgent care can help out. It ends the frustration of rearranging your work schedule to meet your doctor’s office hours.
Another benefit is that your doctor and urgent care team can work together for collaborative care. You might even add workshops, support groups, and educational programs to learn more about your health condition and the best way to manage it.
Make Your Urgent Care Visit Efficient and Effective
Remember that others are waiting to see doctors, too, which is why appointments at an urgent care clinic can seem brief and not cover as much as you’d like. There are things you can do to maximize your time with the doctor.
Have a List of Medications Ready to Share
Provide a full list of prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements. Take pictures of the bottles and doses if you’re not certain you’ll remember them. This information is essential to a doctor who is seeing you for the first time.
Be Honest
Don’t hide anything from your doctor. Honesty is important. If you are supposed to avoid salt due to hypertension but haven’t been limiting intake, tell your doctor. You may learn tips on how to help lower salt intake that hasn’t been mentioned before.
If you don’t have a primary care physician and have been unable to find someone with an opening, tell the doctor. You may learn of a practice that’s still taking new patients that you don’t know about.
Are you uncertain about what you’re supposed to do next? Ask questions to ensure you know your role in your health care plan. Don’t smile, nod, and say you understand. If something is unclear, be honest and tell the doctor you need the instructions clarified. Ask for a printout of the instructions if needed.
Expect a Wait
Urgent care practices can be busy. You may have to wait to see a doctor. Don’t expect to be seen the second you walk in. Use Google listings to see when the busy times of day are. It can eliminate some of the wait.
Dress for the Appointment
If you know you’re going to have your blood drawn during the urgent care visit, wear clothing that makes it easy to access the vein on the inside of your arm. A tank top with a cardigan over it is helpful. The same is true if you’re due any immunizations.
You also want clothing that’s quick to put on and take off. Many appointments don’t require you to have to disrobe, but if you do, you want to be quick. Make sure you’re not using up valuable time getting your clothes on and off.
Make Sure Your Insurance Is Accepted
Call before you head out. You want to make sure your insurance is accepted. While most insurance plans are accepted at Premium Urgent Care, there are a few outliers. It’s best to know if you’ll need to have a way to pay a deductible or if your medical care isn’t covered. That gives you time to look at alternative financing options.
Fill Out Paperwork in Advance
At Premium Urgent Care, you can print out the forms online and have them filled out and ready to hand to the registration team. You should also get on the waiting list as soon as you leave your house. If there is a wait, you’re already on the list, which saves a lot of time.