Tips To Make Your First Visit To An Urgent Care Center Go Smoothly

Even if you have a primary care provider, you might not always be able to get an appointment right when you need one. Of course, the emergency room is always open, but that can get expensive quickly. Today, many people use an urgent care center when they need medical assistance fast but want to keep the costs down. If you've never been to an urgent care center before though, you'll of course want to make sure you are prepared for your visit. Here are some tips to make your trip as smooth as possible.

Bring Any Relevant Documentation or Your List of Prescriptions If Relevant

An urgent care center, especially one you've never visited before, is not going to have your patient history on file like your primary care doctor. If you are experiencing issues that you have a history of, bring in any relevant documentation if it will help the urgent care center get up to speed. Be sure to especially know which prescriptions you are on and have a list available. You don't want to be prescribed something for an illness that will interact poorly with an existing medication.

Research Online to Make Sure You Pick the Right Center (and Book Online If You Can)

Not all urgent care centers are the same, some might specialize in certain illnesses or issues. Some might focus on basic illnesses like the common cold or the flu. Others might be able to assist if your kid breaks their arm at practice and needs to be looked at immediately.

Many urgent care centers take walk-in appointments, but this also can make it difficult to know just how busy the center is before you go in. You may be able to book an appointment in advance online or if not, you can likely call to see what availability is.

Don't Expect the Person That Sees You to Know Everything

Finally, know that you will be looked at by a medical professional, but it might not be an actual doctor. You could be looked at by a physician's assistant, a nurse, or some other medical worker. This worker might have to ask a few more questions to get to the bottom of the problem, especially if they are seeing you for the first time. You obviously are going to urgent care because you want help right away, but be patient during the actual appointment so you can get the correct diagnosis.