If you or your loved ones have an illness or injury that requires immediate medical attention but is not life-threatening, the best option is to visit an urgent care center near you Today, there are over 14,000 urgent care centers nationwide, a number that is anticipated to expand in the future. The number of urgent care centers has risen recently due to the growing need for prompt and affordable quality care for emergency, non-life-threatening medical conditions.
It would help if you visited an urgent care center to receive treatments and services for a wide array of non-life-threatening medical conditions, such as:
At an urgent care center, you can seek medical treatment for a wide range of illnesses and injuries, including:
Consider the following tips when choosing the urgent Bakersfield center. It effectively bridges the primary and emergency care gap and best fits your healthcare needs.
While getting high-quality care with the most advanced diagnostic tools and treatments is vital, receiving compassionate care is also essential to your urgent care experience. Choose a center that prioritizes your needs and emphasizes your well-being and comfort. You must not feel like you are just a number in the larger scheme.
Take time to study the center's mission and vision to ensure that they align with your expectations. Check reputed online patient review portals and ask for referrals from family, friends, and acquaintances.
Different urgent care centers offer different working hours. So, you must ensure that the center you choose offers services with flexible timings convenient to your work schedule, such as late-evening timings. Also, being open on weekends and holidays can benefit you in emergencies when other healthcare facilities are closed.
The urgent care center must be easily accessible and conveniently accessible by private vehicles and public transportation. The proximity of the urgent care center to your home is another significant factor you must consider while choosing the right center. Driving long distances to get treatment can be difficult, especially with a sick or injured child or a senior. Ideally, having an urgent care center within 45 minutes is the best option for non-life-threatening medical emergencies.
Healthcare is expensive, even with health insurance. So, you must focus on avoiding paying out-of-pocket bills, including finding urgent care that allows their patients a wide range of payment plans. Choose a center that accepts your insurance plan to receive the treatment you need at affordable rates. Likewise, you can ask your insurance provider for a list of centers in your area that belong to your insurance plan’s network.
The urgent care you choose must be equipped with the most advanced diagnostic tools for accurately diagnosing and treating various conditions. Centers with in-house diagnostic services, such as laboratory and imaging facilities, provide faster and cheaper treatment options than if you had to rely on outside labs.
Most urgent care centers accept walk-in patients. However, the waiting time may vary depending on the patients’ queue. For your convenience, you can check if they offer an online appointment scheduling option wherein you can do so at your convenience. Several centers also offer an online check-in option for emergencies where you can provide patient information on the go so they can make the necessary preparations for your arrival.
When choosing the proper urgent care in Bakersfield, you must consider vital factors such as provider experience, working hours, location, insurance plans, in-house lab and other services, and the option to book online appointments. This helps to ensure that you receive the best available urgent care services.
StatMD Urgent Care is a frontrunner in urgent care in Bakersfield, CA. Our team, led by Dr. Ravinderjit K. Singh, a family medicine specialist with nearly two decades of experience serving the Bakersfield community, is committed to offering prompt and effective services while prioritizing our patients’ comfort. Contact us today to receive world-class urgent care at the most affordable rates.