Urgent Care: 3 Services You May Not Know You Can Receive

Most people know that they can visit their nearest urgent care clinic for the treatment of burns, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, ear infections, and other minor to moderate health concerns when their family physician is out of the office or booked, or it is after hours. Most people would prefer to visit an urgent care facility as opposed to the emergency room because it is quicker and less expensive. One thing that people often aren't aware of is that urgent care facilities have the ability to perform a variety of other services, including some of the following.

Treatment of Minor Injuries

Most people head to the ER when they suffer an injury such as sprain, dislocation, or fracture. However, the professionals at an urgent care facility are trained to help you as well. Most of these facilities have X-ray equipment to determine the extent of your injury and can provide you with the proper care. So, the next time your little one falls out of the tree or suffers a sprained ankle playing basketball, you may want to call your nearest urgent care clinic to see if they can help.

Drug and Alcohol Screenings

Many employers require that individuals be tested for drugs and alcohol prior to receiving official employment offers, and some will require that employees undergo drug and alcohol screenings on a regular basis. If you need a screening for work or for another reason, your local urgent care clinic may be able to handle this for you.

Generally, this type of screening is done via a blood or urine test, though a hair or saliva test is sometimes requested. Check with your employer to find out which test they require, then find out if your urgent care clinic performs that particular type of screening and how long it will take to get the results back.

EKG Testing

Have you been experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, and/or fainting? If so, your family physician may order that you undergo an EKG test. An electrocardiogram (EKG) will record electrical activity of your heart, which will allow your doctor to determine what's going on (if anything) with your heart.

Some physicians have an EKG machine in their office; however, if they do not, they will send you to an outpatient facility for testing. Many times, this will require you to go to the hospital, which could take a while, but some urgent care facilities have EKG machines, so you may want to see if they offer the test and if it is covered by your insurance.

Share