Atrium Health Navicent Urgent Care

About Urgent Care Services

Given the number of choices in modern health care, picking the right service at the right time can be challenging. Deciding that you need urgent medical services may be easy. It is not so easy to decide whether you should wait another day to see your own doctor or head to the nearest emergency room.

Services That Fill a Gap

Urgent care services offer treatment that is somewhere in between. They exist for patients who need to be seen right away but whose illnesses or injuries do not appear life threatening.

Urgent care services are designed to be convenient. Clinics are plentiful around most towns and are open on evenings and weekends. Even on holidays. In short, they are open for business when your regular physician is not. That is a valuable service if you sprain your wrist over the weekend or your baby wakes up with a fever on Christmas morning.

Wait times are shorter than in the ER. Centers are fully staffed, as the goal is to get patients in and out quickly. Our Urgent Care Centers accept walkins and appointment through InQuicker Check-In.

The cost of care is significantly lower than what an ER charges, and insurance is widely accepted.

What Is the Quality of Care?

Physicians who provide urgent care services, unlike specialists, must have comprehensive knowledge in all areas of medicine. Their training must be as thorough as any doctor's must. They must be prepared to care for both males and females of any age. They must be ready for complaints, illnesses, and injuries that cover the spectrum. Acute care requires expertise and years of experience.

Urgent caregivers sometimes have to make quick, critical decisions. You may be advised to go immediately to the ER. Other times, you may be treated, stabilized, and referred to a specialist for follow-up. The doctor in urgent care services may even consult with your regular provider since he will not be able to observe you for an extended period of time.

What Services are Offered?

Urgent care services are set up to treat serious medical needs that are not quite emergencies. Urgent care clinics are usually not equipped for involved lab tests, ultrasound exams or advanced imaging like CT or MRI. They do offer basic lab tests and X-rays.

These are just some of the health problems covered by urgent care services:

• Persistent fever
• Cold & Flu Symptoms
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Earache
• Conjunctivitis or other eye irritations
• Severe coughing or a sore-throat
• Rashes
• Animal or insect bites
• Infected wounds
• Minor to moderate back and neck injuries
• Sprains
• Injuries from falling or minor car accidents
• Minor burns
• Cuts requiring stitches
• Asthma attacks that are not severe
• Minor to moderate breathing difficulties
• Minor broken bones
• Urinary tract infections
• Stomach Aches
• Sinus Infections
• Lab Tests & X-Ray

When Is Emergency Care Necessary?

If a health problem is life threatening or could cause permanent impairment, call 9-1-1 immediately. Good reasons to go to the ER include those listed below:

• Severe or prolonged chest pain
• Symptoms of stroke like weakness, difficulty speaking, numbness or disorientation
• Serious breathing difficulties
• Unexplained blurred vision
• Chemical or food poisoning
• Drug overdose or suspected alcohol poisoning
• Any fracture in which the bone breaks the skin
• Severe burns
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures or convulsions
• Heavy bleeding
• Stab wounds or gunshot wounds
• Electrocution
• Heatstroke
• Severe frostbite
• High, sustained fever or fever in infants younger than 3 months
• Head trauma
• Serious neck or back injuries
• Serious or unexpected problems related to pregnancy
• Abdominal pain beyond ordinary indigestion
• Violent, homicidal or suicidal thoughts or actions
• Rape
• Snake bites

Urgent care services should not take the place of a regular doctor who oversees your health concerns long-term. They should not substitute for emergency care when it is called for.

For everything in between, though, urgent care services may be just what the doctor ordered.