What illnesses, injuries can be treated at urgent care?
There are about 14,714 urgent care centers in the U.S. today, with over 200 million patients being seen each year. The average wait time for an urgent care visit is about 60 minutes. The wait time for emergency room visits is around 162 minutes.
Urgent care centers are for non-lifethreatening injuries and illnesses that need to be treated without the wait you may have when scheduling an appointment with a primary care provider. But it is not the ER.
However, if an urgent care provider feels you need a higher level of care, you still may be sent to a hospital emergency room. There is usually an out-ofpocket cost for an urgent care visit, but it’s typically less than going to the emergency room. Patients can be treated for various illnesses and injuries at urgent care but the center can’t treat everything.
What’s treated at an urgent care
Illnesses or injuries that can be treated at an urgent care include, but are not limited to:
● Sinus infections
● Flu
● COVID-19
● Insect/bee stings
● Urinary tract infections
● Ear infections
● Poison ivy/oak
● Vomiting/diarrhea
● Sprains/strains
● Broken bones (that have not broken through the skin)
● Minor burns
● Lacerations/cuts
Tests for certain conditions are available at the urgent care as well. Some of these are:
● Flu
● COVID-19
● Strep throat
● Pregnancy
● Mononucleosis Appointments are sometimes not necessary at urgent care locations. It is important to keep in mind that not all urgent care centers have on-site radiology and outpatient laboratory services available.
Facilities that have outpatient laboratory services mean the staff can draw labs that are ordered by a primary care doctor close to home.
Don’t forget your ID, insurance card, payment method and a list of medications and allergies when you visit urgent care.
Christina Vanderpool, RN, BSN, is a community outreach nurse in Ohio.