Urgent Care vs. Walk-In Clinics: What’s the Difference?

Most have had the experience of getting sick or injured and realizing their regular doctor’s office is closed. Perhaps you’ve been on vacation, and your child develops a fever and sore throat. Maybe you think you have a sinus infection, but your regular primary care clinic is booked out for several days.

When you need prompt medical care but can’t get in to see your regular provider, it may be unclear where you should go. Two options for non-emergency medical problems are urgent care clinics and walk-in clinics. While they may sound very similar, there are some important differences you should be aware of to make the best choice for your situation.

At ClearChoiceMD, we want you to be informed and aware of your care options. With 20 locations across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, we offer high-quality urgent care near you. Our clinics are open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for your convenience.

When to Choose Urgent Care vs. a Walk-in Clinic

Though urgent care centers and walk-in clinics both offer convenient care for non-life-threatening medical issues, they are quite different. Urgent care can treat a wider range of medical conditions and features onsite diagnostic capabilities. Understanding these and other important differences will help you decide when to seek care at urgent care vs. a walk-in clinic.

What Is Urgent Care?

An urgent care clinic like ClearChoiceMD can provide care for a wide range of illnesses and injuries. With onsite X-ray, EGK, and lab services, our providers can quickly and accurately diagnose medical issues and choose the best treatment. We offer walk-in visits, short wait times, and the convenience of care outside of regular business hours.

What Is a Walk-In Clinic?

Often located inside a retail store or pharmacy, walk-in clinics typically treat minor illnesses and injuries. The range of conditions they can diagnose and treat is limited compared to urgent care, and they usually do not offer lab testing, X-ray imaging, or other onsite diagnostic services.

Walk-In Clinics vs. Urgent Care: Scope of Care

Though each clinic may treat a slightly different range of medical problems, walk-in clinics typically care for minor issues like:

• Flu and the common cold.
• Eye discomfort.
• Earaches.
• Sore throat.
• Rashes.
• Insect bites.

Urgent care clinics treat these same conditions. However, they can also handle more serious medical conditions, including:

• Fractures (broken bones).
• Sports injuries.
• Cuts requiring stitches.
• Asthma attacks.
• Burns.
• Abdominal pain.
• Dehydration.

An important difference between urgent care and walk-in clinics is the diagnostic services offered at urgent care. Our ClearChoiceMD locations feature onsite labs, X-ray imaging, and EKG testing. We can perform a spectrum of tests, including blood glucose, STI testing, and urinalysis. These diagnostic tools enable our providers to diagnose and treat a much wider variety of conditions than walk-in clinics.

At ClearChoiceMD, we can treat more complicated injuries than a typical walk-in clinic. Our providers can interpret X-rays, drain abscesses, suture cuts, and perform other treatments. We offer the capabilities of a typical primary care clinic but with the advantage of extended hours and walk-in care.

Urgent Care vs. Walk-In Clinics: Cost Considerations

The cost of health care is a common concern. The cost of visiting an urgent care clinic or a walk-in clinic is typically similar, and both are much more affordable than an emergency room (ER) visit. If you have insurance coverage, you may only be responsible for your co-pay.

At ClearChoiceMD, we work with many insurance plans. However, you don’t need coverage to receive premier care from one of our providers. We work to ensure our services are affordable and available for everyone without hidden or surprise fees. Our staff will take the time to explain the costs of our services and your payment options.

ClearChoiceMD: Always Within Reach

We hope you better understand what urgent care is and how to choose the care option that is best for your situation.

When you need prompt, personalized urgent care, visit a ClearChoiceMD location near you.