Urgent Care Myths You Should Stop Believing
Urgent care centers take pressure off emergency rooms and provide patients with more convenient healthcare options. Unfortunately, myths about the role and purpose of these facilities sometimes prevent people from using them. Here, we cover some of the common myths surrounding this relatively new type of medical center and how you can put it to use.
Myth #1: Health insurance in Wilmington NC won’t pay for urgent care visits.
Urgent care is one of the most affordable options for many health services, but that doesn’t mean your insurance won’t pick up the bill. Make sure your healthcare is covered by reading your insurance policy or ask your agent to explain how your plan works.
Myth #2: Urgent care is for emergencies only.
Urgent care centers treat a variety of injuries, illnesses and conditions you could address in any doctor’s office. They help keep people out of the ER, so there is help available for patients with life-threatening problems. In some urgent care centers, you can schedule visits in advance or for later in the day, so you’re not forced to wait in the doctor’s office for hours.
Myth #3: Only poor people go to urgent care centers.
Urgent care centers vary widely from one to the next. Some offer free clinics. Others have low-cost and sliding-scale services. There are others you can work with on independent financing and payment plans. The majority take insurance. Financially, they can be similar to your doctor’s office.
Myth #4: Urgent care isn’t as high-quality as the ER.
Depending on the way a clinic or hospital structures departments, the same doctors, nurses and support staff working in urgent care often work in the emergency room and in private practice as well. Medical personnel in North Carolina all meet the stringent requirements needed for state licensure regardless of where they work. Urgent care is simply another option intended to make healthcare more convenient and accessible.
Myth #5: Urgent care is a good replacement for a primary doctor.
With so many people heading to urgent care centers instead of waiting for appointments at their doctor’s office, some patients are forgoing their doctors altogether. You’ll want someone familiar with you and your body if a serious problem comes up. Knowing your medical history can help your doctor diagnose and treat conditions faster and more easily, so don’t get rid of your family doctor just yet.
Make sure your health insurance in Wilmington NC pays for urgent care services. Contact your agent at Schnitzer-Slate Insurance Agency or request a free quote 910-338-0686.