Benefits of Urgent Care

The Difference Between PCP, Urgent Care & ER Treatments

According to the Urgent Care Association, urgent care centers handle nearly 90 million patient visits a year—with no signs of slowing. However, if you’ve never visited an urgent care clinic, you might be confused about how to utilize these facilities and the benefits of them. Here, our team at Henry County Hospital is sharing the difference between urgent care and other medical care facilities as well as six benefits urgent care centers offer.

PCP stands for primary care provider and often refers to your family doctor. Typically, your primary physician helps with preventative care, routine check-ups, vaccinations, and general internal medicine. These providers can also refer you to specialists, such as an orthopedist, oncologist, or OB/GYN, to provide in-depth care. Your PCP will likely require an appointment.

On the other hand, urgent care clinics should be utilized when you or a loved one is experiencing an injury, illness, or ailment that needs immediate attention but is not life-threatening. This can include conditions like muscle sprains, allergies, infection, the common cold or flu, and minor burns, cuts, or scrapes. These facilities often allow walk-ins and provide quick, quality care, so you receive fast and accurate treatments for your unique needs.

However, if your condition threatens life or limb, please call 911. Emergency personnel will take you directly to an emergency room—which is typically open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Emergency room (ER) facilities provide care for issues such as heart attacks, strokes, limb-threatening injuries, and severe allergic reactions.

6 Benefits of Urgent Care

One of the reasons so many new urgent care clinics are opening is because they act as a bridge between scheduling an appointment with your PCP—which could result in a week’s worth of waiting—and heading to an emergency room. Choosing Henry County Hospital’s Urgent Care gives patients access to a variety of benefits, including:

1. You don’t need an appointment
2. Offers a wide range of services/treatments
3. Better hours than a traditional doctor’s office
4. May be more cost-efficient than the emergency room
5. Provides access to experienced physicians and onsite laboratory services
6. Offers quicker turnaround times for faster service

What to Expect from an Urgent Care Visit

When you walk into our Urgent Care facility, you can expect a warm and friendly greeting, and one of our experienced team members will walk you through the check-in process, including filling out any needed paperwork. We recommend bringing a government-issued photo ID, insurance information, your primary care provider’s information, a method of payment, and a list of any medications and supplements you are currently taking. If you do not have insurance, you will not be turned away, and often urgent care is more affordable than the emergency room.

Once you are checked in, wait times are typically less than 30 minutes—so you can take a seat in our comfortable waiting room before being seen by one of our skilled providers. We offer treatments for patients of all ages—and with in-house laboratory, x-ray, and emergency room services, you are sure to find the exact care you need. If you require specialized treatment, our urgent care doctors can refer you to a specialist.

Henry County Hospital provides a local Urgent Care facility that is available 7 days a week—with no appointment needed. Located at 1600 Riverview Ave., Napoleon, OH 43545, we are the only Urgent Care facility in Henry County. To learn more about Henry County Hospital Urgent Care, call 419.591.3843.