subject: Medical Care Clinic, Hospital, Or Doctor - Which Choice To Make [print this page] The rise of the medical care clinic, often taking patients without an appointment, has lightened the load on the nation's emergency rooms, not to mention community doctors who have found themselves booking appointments months in advance even for relatively timely health needs. If you are injured or sick, you may find yourself wondering whether one of these facilities can meet your needs. Should you try it out or should you take your health problems to the hospital? Can you wait a week or two (at best) and see your doctor? Here are some guidelines to help you make your decision.
Life Threatening Emergencies
If you have an illness or injury that could be perceived as life threatening, the hospital's emergency room is still where you need to go. They have the staff, the equipment, and the resources to handle your health problems. Hospitals organize patients coming into the ER on a severity basis, meaning that if you walk in the door with a suspected heart attack, head injury, or anything else that could threaten your life, you won't have to wait long to see a doctor. Of course, it is this very system that makes it a poor place to go for lesser health issues.
Minor Injuries and Illnesses
This is where the medical care clinic really shines. For colds, sprained ankles, minor cuts, sore throats and so forth, they are your best destination of choice. With these ailments, you'll wind up waiting forever in the emergency room while heart attacks, strokes, and serious injuries go ahead of you. Walk-in facilities are different in that they treat patients on a first come-first served basis. The earlier you get to the waiting room, the sooner you'll be able to see a doctor. This is perfect for those who need attention but don't want to wait hours to get it.
Well Visits and Checkups
If you aren't sick or have an ongoing health problem that needs to be examined on a regular basis, you need to make a doctor's appointment. The benefits of seeing a regular doctor are many. One big one is that he or she is familiar with your medical history and knows what you're dealing with. He can thus arrange ongoing care with you, and you won't need to worry about a sudden change in your healthcare course, something that can be common when seeing multiple doctors. Save your serious problems for the ER and your minor issues for the medical care clinic. Your general wellness should, however, go to your doctor.
