Individuals seeking medical attention through urgent care do not need an appointment as these clinics operate on a first-come first-served basis. Urgent care clinics are a convenient alternative when you need to see a doctor but can’t get into your family doctor for several days. Urgent care is also a cost-effective and more time efficient option for treatment compared to an emergency room. Individuals with mild to moderate symptoms of illnesses or injuries that are not life-threatening can get diagnosed and treated through an urgent care clinic without the high cost of an emergency room visit. Urgent care clinics are also typically open evenings and weekends, providing more flexibility to people seeking medical attention outside of their primary care doctor’s office hours. In rare instances, a patient may get bumped to the front of the urgent care list to be seen first if they have a severe illness or injury that requires immediate attention or stabilization. Individuals with life-threatening injuries or illness need to immediately call 911 or get themselves to the nearest emergency room.

The type of provider that is available to see you can depend on the urgent care clinic you visit. Most doctors who staff urgent care centers are general practitioners who can treat a wide assortment of illnesses or injuries. While most urgent care clinics have a regular schedule of doctors that work out of them to see and treat patients, some clinics may offer additional shifts for doctors to pick up as extra hours. This means that the urgent care clinic could potentially have additional doctors available at any given time with different specializations such as orthopedists or pediatricians. Urgent care clinics often have an x-ray lab or laboratory services on site, so you may see additional providers in those areas to help the attending doctor give you an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

These days, most urgent care clinics are accepting insurance. However, it is always best to check with your insurance to find out what your coverage is and if there is a deductible or co-pay that you will need to pay up front to receive treatment. You may be able to check the urgent care clinic’s website or give them a call to find out their policy on insurance acceptance, but the ultimate decision will be up to your insurance provider. This will be based on the level of insurance coverage you have, with each insurance plan being unique to the needs of the person or family being insured.

Urgent care clinics can provide patients with a diagnosis and treatment plan for most non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Clinics that have x-rays or laboratories on site can offer additional options of x-rays, blood work, urine tests, and other tests as needed based on the symptoms present without having to go to another facility for follow up. Doctors at an urgent care clinic are able to stitch up wounds, brace sprains, cast simple fractures, and many other services that people would normally think of going to an emergency room for. Urgent care clinics can also offer physical exams as needed for patients who aren’t able to get into their primary care physician or don’t have one and require a physical as a requirement for a job or for participation in sports or school.

Urgent care and emergency both provide treatment to patients on a first-come first-serve basis, although an emergency room will often treat patients on a scale of how life-threatening or serious their injuries are. The emergency room is more expensive than an urgent care visit, with significantly longer wait times due to the serious nature of the illnesses and injuries they treat. Emergency room visits should be reserved for illnesses and injuries that are life-threatening in nature or may require surgery. Urgent care centers can diagnose illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening but require medical attention in a short window of time. They are also able to see patients for any minor medical ailments that a patient would normally go to their family doctor for.

If you require immediate care services, do not hesitate to visit Niagara Falls Urgent Care. 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.

We look forward to seeing and treating you soon here at Niagara Falls Urgent Care in Niagara Falls, NY!