According to the Urgent Care Association of America’s 2016 Benchmarking Report, there are 7,357 urgent care centers in the United States. In the 2015 fiscal year, urgent care centers reported seeing an average of nearly 12,000 patients, an average of three visits per hour or 32 visits each day.
The Urgent Care Association of America also found that the most common illnesses diagnosed at urgent care centers in 2015 were an acute upper respiratory infection, acute sinusitis, acute pharyngitis, cough, and acute bronchitis. Other commonly diagnosed injuries and illnesses are seen in urgent care are fractures, pink eye, UTIs, and eye infections. Urgent care centers like Legacy ER provide immediate care in emergency situations with billing similar to that of urgent care.
Allergies, Sinus and Respiratory Issues
Caused by an infection, acute sinusitis is an inflammation of the membranes that line your nose and sinuses. It hinders your body’s ability to drain mucus and is commonly caused by a cold causing a viral infection. If symptoms don’t improve or worsen, seek immediate care at your nearest urgent care center. Possible Symptoms could include congestion, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose, ear pressure, and headache.
The same viruses that cause colds often cause acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchi, or airways, of the lungs and this infection may last from a few to ten days. The most common symptom is a cough. Other possible symptoms include excessive mucus, wheezing, respiratory issues, shortness of breath, and chest pain or discomfort.
Accidents and Bodily Injuries
If you’re active, you are at risk of an encountering some bodily injury or accident. Whether it be a strain muscles from a bad lift or an ankle sprain from basketball, an urgent care center can provide you with immediate care for many situations.
A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament that can be caused by falling, twisting, or getting hit. Ankle sprains are common and you may hear a pop when they happen. Symptoms of a sprain can include pain, swelling, bruising, and being unable to move your joint. A strain is a stretched or torn muscle or tendon that can happen suddenly or over time. Symptoms include pain, muscle spasms, swelling, and trouble moving the muscle.
A fracture is a medical term for a broken bone. Common causes of a fracture can include sports and car accidents. Conditions causing weak or brittle bones also lead to fractures. There are many different types of bone fractures and treatment for them may vary. Some symptoms of a fracture can include pain, swelling, bruising, and loss of functionality.
You can save time and visit Legacy ER, which is an urgent care and emergency room all-in-one. Legacy provides skillful convenient and affordable care and immediate care for a variety of injuries and illnesses alongside pediatrics and family care.
More than one-quarter of U.S. patients reported in 2016 that they had visited an urgent care center in the last two years. Only 3% of patients who come to an urgent care center need to be diverted to an emergency department, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.
In addition to family medicine and occupational health services, urgent care centers can provide immediate care like an emergency and rarely divert patients to emergency rooms. If you experience any of these illnesses or injuries, find your closest urgent care center and let them make the decision for an emergency room visit.
