In 20 years, the number of Americans with chronic health conditions increased from 125 million to 157 million. Half of all Americans have at least one chronic condition, and 23% have two. Even more alarming is that 29% have three or more.
Californians face incredibly high healthcare costs because of these chronic conditions. Heart disease, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), and asthma/COPD are the costliest. If you look at the counties with the largest population of Californians with a chronic health condition, Fresno is one of the highest with just over half of all area residents affected.
Care for these chronic conditions is essential when it comes to prolonging life and avoiding severe symptoms. Seeing a primary care physician can be problematic, but emergency rooms are not appropriate for treating flare ups or worsening symptoms.
How do you find the right balance between seeking the care you need and wasting hours in an emergency department? What do you do if your doctor is unavailable or you don’t have a primary care provider (PCP)? Premium Urgent Care is here to help.
The Role of Urgent Care vs. a Primary Care Physician
Ideally, every person should be able to see their primary care physician for diagnosis and management for a chronic condition, but it’s not always that easy. Six years ago, the California Future Health Workforce Commission projected a shortage of about 4,100 primary care providers by 2030.
Right now, data shows that almost 15 million Californians lack access to a primary care provider. It’s especially prevalent in rural counties and densely populated areas like Los Angeles. About 85.5% of Fresno’s residents live in a shortage area. Many feel that the local hospital is the best option, but urgent care is better.
Urgent care clinics provide people in that situation with immediate access to doctors and nurses. If you have a chronic health condition and are finding your symptoms flaring up or worsening despite the medications you take, an urgent care clinic ensures you can see a medical professional without delay.
The Role of Urgent Care vs. a Hospital’s Emergency Department
Knowing when you should go to an urgent care vs. the hospital is another concern. There are times that urgent care is not the best choice. When a medical issue arises, knowing when an ER is the better choice saves you time and money. Urgent care clinics are best for non-life-threatening symptoms that need medical attention. ERs are best when:
- A sudden, excruciating headache appears.
- Bleeding doesn’t stop after 10 minutes.
- Facial drooping or loss of speech occurs.
- Loss of consciousness occurs.
- Signs of a heart attack are present.
- There’s a sudden change in mental state, such as amnesia or confusion.
- You are having a hard time breathing.
- You experience severe abdominal pain.
- Your fever is higher than 103ºF (adults) or 105ºF (children).
Urgent care clinics are best for non-urgent issues. If you have COPD and are finding yourself out of breath more than usual, go to urgent care. Go to urgent care if you have high blood pressure and notice your ankles are swelling. You have asthma or diabetes and believe you have the flu. Again, go to urgent care to get medications that can keep the symptoms from worsening.
Emergency care at a hospital costs more. If it’s not a life-or-death situation, you’ll save money and time going to an urgent care clinic.
Urgent Care Helps With Condition-Specific Treatment Options
When you have a chronic condition, urgent care offers specific treatment options to patients.
- Asthma/COPD: Nebulizer treatments, oral steroids, and oxygen therapy are available to help stabilize you while additional tests are run to determine things like your current blood oxygen levels and reasons your medications aren’t working.
- Diabetes: Glucose and insulin treatments increase or lower your blood sugar levels, checks of your feet, and assessment of current medications and insulin pumps are available.
- Heart Failure: If you have heart disease and there are signs of worsening issues, tests can determine what’s happening and take measures to improve health. This might include changing heart medications or managing fluids in the blood.
Urgent care doctors have a full inventory of tests used to diagnose issues. Blood tests and lab equipment can determine if an infection is present and causing complications. X-rays can check the lungs for pneumonia. Equipment is available to check oxygen saturation levels, and there is equipment available to track blood pressure.
An urgent care clinic offers vaccinations, COVID-19 tests, wound care, and treatment of strains, sprains, and more. Many insurance plans are accepted, too, which means your visit may be covered by insurance.
If you have a primary care provider, the urgent care professionals send all treatments, tests, and other medical notes to your doctor. The communication between the two ensures your medical records are complete and accurate.
The Benefits of Urgent Care for Patients With Chronic Conditions
Now that you know more about the different things urgent care can do, it’s time to look at the benefits.
- Convenience: Urgent care is a walk-in healthcare practice. You don’t need an appointment, which makes it much easier to get same-day care. They also have weekend and evening hours.
- Cost-Effective: Urgent care costs less than care at an emergency room. KFF Health News reports that an ER trip is about 12 times higher than a doctor’s office and 10 times higher than an urgent care.
- Divert Traffic From ERs: Going to an urgent care instead of an emergency department diverts patient traffic from waiting rooms. It shortens waiting times in the ER for those needing critical care.
- Quality Care: Doctors in urgent care practices are trained, licensed doctors. You’re not getting a lower quality of care. You have the same medical professionals helping you without having to wait hours or pay more.
- Saves Time: Waits in urgent care are shorter than if you went to an emergency room. When you go to the hospital for a non-life-threatening condition, you’re lower in priority. Patients needing emergency care are prioritized, so you could wait all day before finally being seen.
Provide Information That Helps With Your Treatment Plan
Before you go to urgent care to see a doctor to help with your chronic condition’s symptoms, make sure you bring documentation that helps them assess your health correctly and quickly. Bring:
- Photos or bottles of any prescriptions or over-the-counter supplements used
- Any test results from past doctor visits
- Your family’s health history
- Names and locations for doctors you’ve seen
Thanks to today’s technology, it’s easier for urgent care doctors to access important records that help them determine the best path forward. It might mean changing your medications or recommending a new treatment option.
Premium Urgent Care is here for you. Our locations are open longer than many traditional doctors’ offices, and we have weekend hours, too. You don’t need to schedule an appointment. We’re a walk-in clinic. If you want to save time, we do have an online check-in option you can use before you leave your home or office.