Urgent Care vs. a Doctor Visit: Learn the Difference

When you or a family member experiences a sudden illness or medical concern, choosing where to go for care can be confusing. Should you visit an urgent care clinic or see your regular family doctor? What if your doctor’s office is closed or you are away from home?

At ClearChoiceMD, we want you to get the appropriate care when you need it. Understanding what urgent care is and how it compares to other options is essential to finding the care you need.

ClearChoiceMD offers fast, high-quality care for all ages at our 20 locations across Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The majority of walk-in clinics are open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for your convenience.

When to Go to Urgent Care vs. a Doctor’s Office

When deciding where to go for care, it may be helpful to know that urgent care can treat many of the same medical issues as your regular doctor. Urgent care fills an important gap, offering convenient treatment when a medical need arises and you can’t get in to see your doctor.

Urgent Care vs. a Doctor Visit: Understanding the Differences

Urgent care can treat many of the same medical conditions that your doctor’s office can. However, you should be aware of some important differences between the two.

What Is Urgent Care?

An urgent care clinic like ClearChoiceMD can treat a wide range of non-emergency medical problems, including:

• Flu and Strep throat.
• Allergies and sinus problems.
• Asthma, COPD, and bronchitis.
• Sports injuries.
• Sprains and minor fractures (broken bones).
• Pediatric illness.
• Urinary tract infections (UTI).

ClearChoiceMD can provide prompt, personalized care for these and many other medical concerns. With onsite diagnostic services, including X-ray imaging and lab testing, we offer fast and accurate treatment when you need it.

Doctor Visit vs. Urgent Care: Ongoing Care vs. Immediate Need

Urgent care is best for pressing medical issues when you can’t see your regular doctor and don’t need emergency room services.

Whereas urgent care is an excellent choice for episodic illness or injuries, you should also see your primary care or family doctor regularly. Routine checkups help to ensure you and your family stay healthy. Your regular doctor can order screenings, diagnose health problems early, and help you manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, and COPD.

Urgent Care vs. a Doctor Visit: Cost

The cost of health care is a concern for many. A visit to urgent care is typically similar in cost to an appointment with your regular doctor. If you have insurance coverage, you may only be responsible for your co-pay.

ClearChoiceMD works with many insurance plans, but you don’t need coverage to be seen by a provider. Our helpful staff will discuss our services and our convenient self-pay option. Rest assured that we strive to keep our care affordable and our fees transparent. We want high-quality care to be accessible for everyone.

Urgent Care vs. a Doctor Visit: Convenience

Walk-in care and extended hours are part of what makes urgent care different from a doctor’s office. Your regular doctor’s office is likely open only during normal business hours and closed on weekends and holidays. When you are experiencing a medical issue and need care, you may not be able to wait for an appointment. Perhaps your child is struggling with asthma, but you’re traveling out of state. Maybe you have a migraine but can’t see your doctor for several days.

Urgent care is an excellent choice in situations like these. Offering extended hours, walk-in care, and top-notch services, ClearChoiceMD is here when you need us.

ClearChoiceMD: Your Family’s Home for Trusted Care

At ClearChoiceMD, no appointment is necessary. Simply walk into any of our convenient locations for the compassionate, excellent urgent care your family deserves.