I, for one, am not particularly fond of unplanned and unscheduled emergency room visits—sick family member in tow—during nights, weekends, and holidays. But sometimes, a mom has little choice.
Thankfully, I’ve found a great solution: My Local MD Now
After doing some research, I discovered that unless you think your child has a true life-threatening health issue, it simply makes sense to take them to a respected, neighborhood urgent care center like your local MD Now. I’ve waited for hours before in the ER and I don’t ever want to put myself through that. Especially if it’s for something like the flu, sprains or stitches. I know I will get quality care for any immediate problem, but in less time and at a greatly reduced cost.
My homework shows that, at just $150-$200 per visit, the average cost for self-pay at an urgent care clinic is a grand less than the typical $1,233 price tag of an ER visit. That’s an incredible savings even before you factor in the wait time! I don’t know about you, but waiting around in an ER setting is not something I consider fun.
Unless it’s a true life-threatening emergency, you’re not going to rank for priority status at an ER either. What does that mean?You’ll receive treatment only after any major trauma cases have been taken care of first. I came across research that shows that the average patient at an ER spends two hours waiting for treatment. Seriously? At my local MD Now, we can be in and out in under an hour in most cases. No appointment necessary, thank you very much.
There’s also the convenience factor to consider.
As the largest urgent care provider in South Florida, MD Now has 38 locations in our area. Several are located within a five-mile radius of our home in Boca. Thankfully, they’re also all open 12 hours a day including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Regarding the quality of care, I’ve found that my local MD Now offers as good or better care than what I personally received after a long ER wait. Designated Category 1 by the Urgent Care Association of America, MD Now has a doctor on site at all times. They also have the same convenient onsite EKGs, digital X-rays, ultrasounds, and lab testing as a typical ER.
So, the next time there’s an issue, ask yourself, “What am I waiting for?” If someone in your family has an unscheduled minor emergency, I suggest you check out a local urgent care center like MD Now. Save those ER visits for true life-threatening emergencies.
Here are a few more facts to consider when weighing your options:
- Urgent care insurance co-pays are generally 20–25% less than an ER’s.
- With more than 124 million visits annually, or 222 visits per minute, ERs are already operating at capacity.
- ER wait times are expected to get even worse. By 2020, there will be 45,000 fewer primary care physicians in the U.S.
- Urgent care centers in the U.S. have been around for more than 30 years. They now handle 160MM patient visits a year, and their locations continue to grow in number.
The numbers don’t lie. Visit MD Now’s website by clicking here: https://www.mymdnow.com/
Sponsored: This post was sponsored by MD Now. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and not influenced in any way by the sponsor. Any statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with provider and please refer to this site’s Disclosure for more information. I have been compensated, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
