Doc – in – a – box: Urgent care clinics

October 15, 2014
Aathira Nair

Urgent care clinics or minor emergency setups are springing up all over riding on the need for quick medical assistance and owing to the waiting periods at regular hospitals. One of the main difference between these clinics and regular hospitals is these clinics do not take Medicaid, and hence are not required to attend to all patients. They do not have beds and a patient does not make an appointment. Private insurance patients or cash payments are the only means of pay for usage at these setups.

The primary reason why these urgent care clinics will flourish is because the doctor’s offices will not be able to suit the needs and availability of the patients at all times. This requires for a practice which will work to serve the patients, and for this availability and service, the charges shall be incurred by the patients themselves. They work in providing care beyond the scope of the primary care centres. It is an economically viable solution, and one where technology shall play a large role in ensuring patient healthcare needs are met and above all, safety.

According to a study by Affiliated Workers Association,

“more than 36 million Americans have already used telemedicine in some way, and as many as 70 percent of doctor visits can be handled over the phone—which typically cost much less than an in-person visit.