What’s the worst thing about being unwell? It’s being indisposed while not having access to health care. Luckily, a walk-in clinic in West Palm Beach provides convenient and affordable medical care whenever you need it. People often mistake walk-in clinics for urgent care. Although these two share overlapping services, they are different in many ways.
What Services Does a Walk-in Clinic Offer?
What Is a Walk-in Clinic?
A walk-in clinic or a retail clinic is a type of healthcare center that offers basic medical care. These clinics are convenient and easy to find as they are situated near pharmacies and retailers. Besides convenience, walk-in clinics are known for their affordability since they are staffed by physician assistants and nurse practitioners. They also offer flexible payment options for uninsured and underinsured patients.
It’s important to know that these retail clinics only provide basic medical care, which means life-threatening cases are not included. They can only accommodate common illnesses and injuries. Examples of health conditions that are treatable in a walk-in clinic are strep throat, skin infections, flu, and minor cuts. In addition to basic medical care, they also offer immunizations and physical exams. Walk-in clinics, as the name implies, provide services on a first come, first served basis.
What Does a Walk-in Clinic Treat?
The following are conditions that can be treated in walk-in clinics:
- Asthma
- Bladder infections
- Sore throats
- Coughs
- Earaches
- Simple fractures
- Strains
- Sprains
- Minor cuts
- Cold and flu
- Non-threatening illnesses
What Is Urgent Care?
Walk-in clinics are similar to urgent care clinics since both offer affordable and convenient basic medical care and have at least one medical doctor. However, urgent care provides a higher level of medical care, allowing their staff to treat more severe cases (but not life-threatening) such as minor burns and broken bones.
They also offer lab testing, STD testing, and X-rays. While walk-in clinics typically do not acknowledge appointments, urgent care accepts them.
When Do You Need to Go to Urgent Care?
If you have a minor health situation, you can go to a walk-in clinic. Meanwhile, if you have a minor health crisis that requires urgent health care, go directly to urgent care. You'll need urgent care when you suffer from an illness or injury that needs immediate medical attention or if you need an immunization or physical examination.
You can go directly to your doctor, but you'll have to wait for your scheduled appointment, and if you're having urgent issues, waiting may not be the best option.
When Should You Go to the Emergency Department?
Just because walk-in clinics and urgent care are convenient doesn’t mean they can cater to all your health problems. It’s essential to pay attention to your symptoms, so you’ll know if you need to go to a clinic or head straight to the hospital’s emergency department. Some of the signs that require a visit to the emergency room are the following:
- Symptoms indicative of a stroke (Sudden numbness in the face, arm, or leg, trouble walking, sudden confusion)
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Severe head injury
- Severe abdominal pain
Looking for a Walk-in Clinic in West Palm Beach?
At MedForce Mobile, we bring urgent care services directly to your home. We know that visiting the ER could lead to hassles and inconveniences, especially if you have trouble securing transportation. To get the services and tests you need, contact us.
