What Urgent Care Does Differently Than Your Primary Care Doctor

If you are faced with a difficult medical situation, you may be torn between your different medical options. While you are not necessarily facing an emergency, you might not have time to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor.

There's a lot that urgent care can do that your primary care doctor may not be able to do. Here are some of the things that make urgent care different and potentially a better option for you.

Urgent Care Is Open Later

Your urgent care center will have later hours than some doctor's offices. This means that if you have an injury or illness that can't wait until morning, you can still get the care you need.

Urgent care is also open on weekends and holidays when most doctor's offices are closed. This can be a lifesaver if you have an accident on the weekend or your child gets sick on a holiday.

Urgent Care Can See You Sooner

If you can't get an appointment with your primary care doctor for a few days, or if you need to be seen right away, urgent care is a great option. You can often get into the office on the same day, but there are times when you might get in the very next day.

Primary care doctors do not necessarily work this way. You may have to wait days or even weeks to schedule an exam with primary care providers, even if you have an existing relationship.

Urgent Care May Have Labs & Imaging Tools on Site

If your ailment requires testing of samples, like blood or urine, urgent care may be a better option than primary care in some cases. That's because urgent care centers often have labs right on site. This means that your test results will be back faster, and you can get started on treatment sooner.

In some cases, urgent care may also have imaging tools like X-rays and MRIs. This can save you a trip to the hospital for these tests. You can get home with answers you would not necessarily get from your primary care provider.

Urgent Care Can Answer All Your Questions

Do you have more questions? Now is a good time to call your local urgent care center to see how else they might differ from your primary care doctor. Learning more about your local urgent care center will help inform your choice.