Urgent Care: Bridging the Gap
Between Your PCP & the ER
What do you do when you are sick? Maybe you check your symptoms on Google while hoping for the best. Do you get the advice of friends and family for at-home remedies? It’s time to put your health in the forefront and get medical attention now – even today! Same-day medical care is readily available, but now the question is, where do you go?
If you have a primary care provider, you can try to schedule a same-day appointment with them. Oftentimes, these doctors are booked and appointments are unavailable the same day or even the next day. PCPs are also typically only open weekdays, 8 am to 5 pm. What if it’s after 5 pm or on the weekend? There’s also the ER, but those visits should be reserved for emergencies. However, there is another option – urgent care!
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What is an Urgent Care?
Urgent care medical clinics, like Advanced Urgent Care & Occupational Medicine in Colorado, fill an important gap in our communities. These centers bridge the gap between primary care providers and emergency departments.
Urgent cares have extended hours to complement the hours of your primary care provider’s office. Advanced Urgent Care clinics are open 7 days a week including evenings and weekends to accommodate many work schedules. We also offer a telehealth visit option.
Do Urgent Cares Accept Insurance?
What is the Urgent Care Visit Price with No Insurance?
Yes, many urgent cares, including Advanced Urgent Care, accept most insurances. We also accept Medicaid and Medicare. We offer a discount to patients who are uninsured and paying at the time of service. Discounted pricing can be found by clicking here.
Do Urgent Cares Do X-Rays?
Advanced Urgent Care’s medical clinics are equipped with x-ray equipment. As an orthopedic urgent care our medical team can use x-rays to help diagnose a variety of medical conditions. This includes, but is not limited to: bone fractures, pneumonia, and joint dislocations. You’ll be able to take a copy of your x-rays with you to share with a specialist, if needed, and your PCP.
Do Urgent Cares do STD Testing?
Yes, urgent cares do STD testing and treat many common STDs. Many STD tests are urine lab tests.
Urgent Care vs. ER: Where Do I Go?
Urgent cares are equipped to handle most minor illnesses or injuries. The top visit reasons people aged 20 to 39 visit our medical clinics for same-day medical care are:
- Abdominal pain
- Cough
- COVID testing and treatment
- Foot, ankle, knee, and back pain
- Pharyngitis (sore throat)
There are many more illnesses and injuries that can be treated at urgent care clinics. Click here for a list of what we treat and other services we offer.
It is important to go to the ER if you are experiencing a life-threatening illness or injury including, but not limited to: chest pain, continuous bleeding, severe allergic reactions, severe shortness of breath, and more.
Click here for more information on the differences between urgent cares and the ER.
Testimonial Spotlight
“I’ve been here a few times and they have always gone above and beyond to make sure I get taken care of. They treat you amazingly. They make sure you’re leaving happy and healthy. And, if they can’t fix the issues, they’ll immediately send you to the ER. Thank you so much to all of the staff. Thank you so much.”
– Melissa M. on Google (Review edited for clarity and length)
What to Consider When Deciding on Healthcare
When deciding on where to go for your illness or injury, keep the below tips in mind.
Primary Care Provider (PCP)
Urgent care is there when your PCP is not. We offer evening and weekend hours. Your family doctor is a great option for annual physicals and the management of chronic illnesses. A primary care physician is also a great option when you have general questions about your health.
Urgent Care
Urgent care bridges the gap between primary care and emergency departments. An urgent care is a walk-in clinic, which means you can be seen without an appointment. The urgent care treats most illnesses and injuries, while also typically being open 7 days a week.
Emergency Room
An urgent care provider can help determine if an ER visit is needed based on an evaluation. The emergency department is also a walk-in clinic, however wait times may be longer than at the urgent care. A visit to the emergency room is also more expensive.
Stop by Advanced Urgent Care & Occupational Medicine
The next time you are feeling unwell and looking for a “doctor near me” look no further than Advanced Urgent Care in Colorado. We have locations across the Denver metro area and are open 7 days a week. Click here to view a list of all of our clinics.