Over 11 million Californians live in areas with shortages of primary care physicians (PCPs). California regulations mandate that a person’s urgent medical needs be seen within 48 hours and that routine care with a PCP be provided within 10 business days. Yet, doctor shortages impact this.
You decided that 2026 is the year you address your health. Do you have an existing PCP? That determines how quickly you’re seen for a physical exam. If you do have a PCP, you may be able to get an appointment within a few weeks.
On average, people with a flexible schedule, no current doctor, and non-specific care requirements may see a new PCP within four weeks. If your care needs are specialized, the wait can be three to six months.
When you want to make health-related changes, waiting until February or even July won’t help. Get started on your goals by visiting urgent care. Urgent care doctors offer support and counseling for many common health goals, such as the following.
Catch Up on Necessary Immunizations, Screenings, and Tests
The federal government recently changed immunization schedules, but it’s an important decision that you and your doctor, or your child’s doctor, should make together. The importance of vaccinations depends on your health history, your family’s health history, and your concerns.
When you see a doctor to discuss immunizations, you’re getting an expert opinion backed by years of medical training and research. The CDC may no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for everyone, but you might have a family member with a weakened immune system. Shared clinical decision-making requires a doctor’s insights. Your urgent care doctor administers the vaccinations you need.
You might also be due for certain screenings and not have a current PCP. You’re due for a colonoscopy, but you don’t have a PCP, and you need the referral and prescription for the medication you take before this procedure. Urgent care doctors provide referrals, prescriptions, and perform some tests, such as pregnancy tests, STD/SID screenings, and work-ordered drug tests.
Eat a Healthier, Balanced Diet
You’re busy and always on the go. Because you never have time to cook, you order takeout or pick up microwaveable meals all week. You want to eat healthier, but you don’t know where to start.
At an urgent care appointment, you discuss your concerns, and a doctor performs a physical exam to determine whether underlying health issues, such as anemia, diabetes, food allergies, or heart disease, affect which foods you should and shouldn’t eat.
Your doctor might refer you to a dietitian who helps you plan menus, create shopping lists, and learn proper portion sizes. You learn whether you’re getting enough protein with your current eating habits or if there’s room for improvement.
Exercise More
A strong core helps you in many ways. Your balance and mobility rely on a strong core. You need to build that strong core without overworking certain muscle groups at the expense of others. Muscles need to be strengthened in a synchronized manner. Physical therapists help with that.
Insurance is unlikely to cover physical therapy without a doctor’s referral. That’s where urgent care doctors come in. They assess your balance and mobility and determine whether you have an underlying injury to address or simply need support in building and sticking to an exercise program that fits your needs.
Get Enough Sleep
How much sleep do you get? Ideally, an adult should get seven or eight hours a night. Children need more. It’s not always that easy.
Some health conditions make it hard to get enough sleep. Medications you take may cause insomnia as a side effect. Treating health issues that cause insomnia, such as sleep apnea, or finding medicines that don’t make it hard to sleep is essential. An urgent care doctor helps identify the cause of your insomnia and find an effective solution.
Improve Mental Health
Social media, daily news, and the community around you fill your day with distressing and sad news. Work and school pressures, family demands, and your inner thoughts can drag you down. One in six kids ages 6 to 17 has a mental health disorder, while it’s one in five for adults.
Just over 46% of adults in California have symptoms of anxiety or depression, but almost 22% were unable to get the care they needed to address it. Urgent care doctors are a path forward to the care you need.
Medications for depression and anxiety work for some people, but they’re not always necessary. Group therapy or mental health counseling is better for others. A doctor assesses where you are and determines the best treatment plan for your needs.
Quit Smoking or Drinking
Because alcohol and smoking products are linked to other health conditions, such as cancer, breaking the habit can save your life.
Every day, younger adults are turning away from alcoholic beverages and focusing on mocktails and NA beers, wines, and spirits. An alcohol-free life is best, but it’s not easy if you have alcohol use disorder. Medical support is necessary.
Your liver’s health needs to be assessed. If blood tests show your liver is stressed, your urgent care doctor recommends a liver ultrasound. A treatment plan is developed if liver damage is found.
The same is true for nicotine. It’s hard to beat the habit. Sometimes, prescription smoking cessation medications are necessary. Counseling or group therapy is essential. Urgent care is your first step toward those prescriptions and referrals.
Weight Loss
An estimated 11 million adults in California are obese. Almost a quarter of adults ages 65 or older are obese. It’s expected that the adult obesity rate in California will reach 41% over the next four years.
Weight loss is an excellent New Year’s resolution, but it’s also tricky. Not all insurance companies cover GLP-1 medications for weight loss due to Medicare policy changes effective January 1, 2026. Other obesity medications work well. You need a doctor to prescribe them and support you on your weight loss journey.
For some people, bariatric surgery is recommended. Again, you need to take the first step and talk to a doctor. Insurance won’t cover it if you don’t meet the criteria or have a Treatment Authorization Request in place.
A health exam is a critical first step in a doctor-guided medical weight-loss program. For some, diet and exercise aren’t enough, but giving up doesn’t have to be the only solution. A doctor assesses your health, height, weight, and family history to determine the best course of action.
A weight loss program often blends personalized nutrition, behavioral support, and physical therapy, if needed. If that’s not enough, medications are prescribed. There’s no one-size-fits-all weight loss plan. An urgent care doctor gathers information and helps you get started with referrals to the right people to help you lose weight.
See a Doctor on Your Schedule
Many people assume urgent care clinics are for weekend or after-hours emergencies, such as a child with a fever or the sudden onset of a UTI when the doctor’s office is closed. Premium Urgent Care offers so much more.
Our doctors treat both urgent and non-urgent health issues. Go to the local hospital’s emergency department if you suspect a heart attack or stroke, have third-degree burns, or have a severe bone fracture. For vaccinations, physical exams, and supportive care as you work to improve your health, visit Premium Urgent Care. No appointment is necessary.