Urgent care clinics provide fast, affordable, and reliable medical care. If you’re experiencing a non-life-threatening medical emergency, a walk-in urgent care clinic is a great option. Urgent care isn’t just for emergencies, however. Sometimes the convenience of a walk-in clinic makes urgent care a better alternative to waiting for a visit with your primary care provider.
A walk-in urgent care clinic is a convenient and reliable option when you can't get in to see your primary care provider. Click To TweetShould you go to an urgent care clinic or schedule a visit with your doctor?
A 2017 survey from Merritt Hawkins found appointment wait times for new patient physician appointments in 15 major metropolitan areas averaged 24 days. While it might not take this long for you to schedule an appointment with your PCP, you won’t always be able to get in to see your doctor as quickly as you might like. It’s not uncommon for appointment wait times to take a few days or weeks.
Start by calling your primary care provider for your non-emergency health issues. Your PCP knows your medical history and has a more complete picture of your health than a physician at an urgent care clinic. Maybe your physician can see you that day, or maybe the next available appointment is two, or three, weeks out.
Once you know the next available appointment date you can decide whether to wait or visit an urgent care clinic.
Here are a few things to consider when trying to decide between an urgent care clinic and your doctor.
- Urgent care physicians may not have the same context as your primary care provider, but they still provide excellent medical care.
- Urgent care is great for acute health problems. Wait to see your primary care provider for ongoing health issues.
- Walk-in urgent care clinics typically have extended hours. MANA Urgent Care clinics are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- MANA Urgent care does not charge emergency fees. You pay the same copay and fees that you pay at your doctor’s office.
- Go to a walk-in urgent care clinic if your symptoms affect your quality of life. You can follow up with your primary care provider.
There are several other reasons why you might visit an urgent care clinic.
MANA Urgent Care clinics are staffed by MANA physicians with access to medical records for established MANA patients. There are two MANA Urgent Care clinics in Fayetteville, AR:
MANA Urgent Care Wedington
1188 N. Salem, Ste 6
Fayetteville, AR
(479) 442-0006
7:00am – 7:00pm
MANA Urgent Care College
1673 North College Ave.
Fayetteville, AR
(479) 521-0200
7:00am – 7:00pm