A walk-in clinic is a medical facility that offers urgent care services, such as the treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, to patients on a walk-in basis, without an appointment. Walk-in clinics are sometimes called urgent care centers, and they provide a range of medical services to address urgent but non-emergency health needs. These clinics are often staffed by nurses and physician assistants who offer a wide variety of services, including urgent care, healthcare screenings, and preventative care. Most walk-in clinics offer extended hours, such as evening and weekend hours, to accommodate a wider number of patients. Because of their accessibility and affordability, walk-in clinics have become a popular choice for medical care for many people.

Walk-in clinics are equipped to handle urgent medical situations, from acute injuries to chronic conditions. Conditions treated at walk-in clinics include:

• Allergic reactions and asthma
• Cuts, burns, bug bites, and animal bites
• Falls, sprains, strains, and broken bones
• Colds and flu
• Pink eye
• Ear infections
• Sinus pressure and sinus infections (sinusitis)
• Bronchitis and strep throat
 
Walk-in clinics also provide care for patients without a diagnosis, instead of focusing on alleviating their symptoms, such as:

• Rashes and itching
• Coughing (and dry cough), sneezing and wheezing
• Sore throat and strep throat
• Body and muscle aches
• Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting
• Headaches
• Other unexplained pain or swelling
 
Walk-in clinics may also provide routine healthcare services, most commonly:

• Physicals (school, sports, or annual)
• Disease screenings
• Drug screening
• Wellness checks
 
Lastly, some walk-in clinics can provide lab services, including:

• Blood tests such as:
– Blood glucose
– Basic and comprehensive metabolic panels
– Complete blood counts
• STD tests
• Pregnancy tests
• Urinalysis
• Flu tests and rapid flu tests
• Strep tests

You should visit a walk-in clinic whenever you have a medical need that is urgent, but not an emergency, and your doctor is not available. This could apply to dozens of different situations, from minor illnesses to mild injuries. The main reason people go to a walk-in clinic is to receive urgent medical care, but there are a number of benefits people receive when visiting these clinics, including:

• Patients are seen much quicker
• Patients will pay less
• Walk-in clinics provide overall care

The terms “urgent care” and “walk-in” are often used interchangeably to refer to medical clinics that provide immediate care. However, a walk-in clinic is different from an urgent care center in several ways. Urgent care centers tend to offer a wider number of treatments and services because they are operated by a licensed physician, whereas walk-in clinics are typically staffed by a physician assistant or nurse. Furthermore, urgent care clinics are often open later and are more likely to be open on weekends and holidays. In conclusion, an urgent care clinic is generally a more advanced version of a walk-in clinic, offering a greater number of treatments, services, and tests and is supervised by a more qualified medical professional. However, many urgent care clinics use the moniker “walk-in” to emphasize their appointment system but are actually considered urgent care facilities.
 
For quality care on a walk-in basis, come to Niagara Falls Urgent Care today. Our medical professionals can help you find relief from the most common medical concerns, allowing you to live a better quality of life. We look forward to serving you! We are conveniently located at 3117 Military Road Suite 2, Niagara Falls, NY 14304. Walk-ins are welcomed. Contact us for more information or request an appointment online. We serve patients from Niagara Falls NY, Lewiston NY, Sanborn NY, Walmore NY, Tonawanda NY, Model City NY, and Grand Island NY.