Is Urgent Care The Same As A Walk-in Clinic?

Urgent care centers are often confused for walk-in clinics because of their many similarities; however, they are designed and staffed to treat different situations. Technically you can walk into both a walk-in and an urgent care center, but you may want to conduct a little bit of research before deciding which care facility best matches your medical needs.

Walk-in clinics otherwise referred to as retail clinics, are meant for non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses. They are especially useful when you want to make a reservation with your primary care physician but they can’t fit you in. Walk-in visits are best for minor injuries and illnesses such as stomach flu or strep throat.

For more serious injuries, visit an urgent care center. Urgent care is for people who need to see a doctor immediately but who don’t necessarily need to go to an emergency room. As a walk-in, these centers can only treat non-life-threatening conditions. Common conditions people may see an urgent care for include sports injuries, minor fractures, and lacerations.

Walk-in clinics can treat a plethora of minor injuries and illnesses. As long as it is not life-threatening, you can go to a walk-in. If the condition is more serious than you thought, they can refer you to a specialist. A walk-in clinic can treat the following:

– Fever
– Migraines
– Rash
– Earache and/or ear infection
– Stomach flu
– Severe cold
– Strep throat
– Minor burns
– Minor muscle strains or pain

Any time you have an immediate situation and you can’t get a reservation with your doctor, consider visiting a walk-in clinic. You can find a walk-in close to pharmacies, retail stores, and large grocery store companies.

When you arrive at an urgent care, you will need to fill out a short form and provide a piece of government photo ID. The doctors at urgent cares treat their patients on a first-come, first-served basis. Typically these wait times are less than in an emergency room which is why an urgent care is a fantastic option for non-life-threatening emergencies. If you are concerned about wait times, feel free to call beforehand to see how long you’ll have to sit and wait. Urgent care centers work with most major insurance companies and have affordable options for those with minimal to no coverage.

Visit an urgent care or walk-in when your primary healthcare provider is unavailable and you don’t need to go to an emergency room. Franklin Park Urgent Care can give treatment and diagnoses for the following:

– Lacerations
– Bronchitis
– Sports injuries
– Fractures
– Burns
– Ear infections
– Worker’s compensation injuries
– Severe cold and flu
– Minor car accident injuries
– Sprains, tears, and bruises
– UTIs
– STDs

Consider visiting Franklin Park Urgent Care the next time you get sick or hurt. We proudly provide healthcare services that are much more affordable than a hospital visit. Walk-in anytime during our hours Monday through Friday. Our professional medical staff will see you as fast as they can and treat you efficiently. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to call our reception and we’d be happy to chat. We serve patients from Spokane WA, Airway Heights WA, Cheney WA, Colbert WA, Deer Park WA, Liberty Lake WA, Mead WA, Medical Lake WA, Millwood WA, Otis Orchards WA, Spokane Valley WA and surrounding areas.