If you have recently suffered a significant injury or you have an illness, you may need to visit a lab facility to get a diagnosis. However, for some Americans, going to a hospital may not be an option. It is one of the main reasons urgent care centers is the best option for it, Most critical care facilities have robust labs that can cater to the needs of most diagnostic requirements. The right diagnosis is crucial to the proper treatment, finding an urgent care with the right lab is essential. Below are tips to help you find one.
Why Should You Choose an Urgent Care Facility?
With the triage, used at most hospitals, your routine blood work, which should take a few minutes, could end up taking hours. However, this is not the case at an urgent care center. You only need to wait a few minutes in most cases.
Another reason to use urgent care is that it is quite affordable. In most cases, a critical care center will charge significantly less for the use of lab facilities. Besides that, these institutions have a high rate of insurance acceptance. However, even if they do not, you will still pay less than you would have with the out of pocket costs at a hospital.
How do you find the Right One?
If you have decided that using an urgent care center is right for you, it is essential to find the right one. Here is how to do it:
- Call Your Doctor
Most urgent care centers operate more extended hours than the doctor’s office. However, if you are lucky, the doctor may still pick calls even after office hours. He or she can help to direct you to the right facility that has all the proper amenities you need for your lab testing.
- Talk to a friend
Another way to find the right urgent care center is to talk to your friends. It is especially so if they have had an experience where they had to visit an urgent care facility. They will guide you to the right facility that has modern lab equipment. As a result, you will be able to get your diagnosis in good time.
- Search the internet
The internet is convenient when it comes to finding urgent care centers. Just search for a critical care center that is close to your location. You will get results showing as many as there are. You can then pick one that you think has all the facilities you need to be tested.
- Call the urgent care centers
If you already know what you need to be tested for, it would save you a lot of time to call the center. Ask them if they have the equipment to conduct the test, you need. In most cases, they will answer the question, and you can tell if they are right for you. Ensure that you are armed with facts about the testing you need. Otherwise, expect to receive vague responses for vague answers that you ask.
- Location
If you are going to use an urgent care facility, you should try to keep costs as low as possible. The way to achieve this is by using a service close to your location. Just search online and find those close to you. However, if the center is relatively new, it may not yet be listed in the search engines.
In such a case, you can ask one of your neighbors if they know of such a facility. Besides that, they could help you find a shorter route to the center that may not be on the GPS navigation. It will save you money and time.
- Check their operating hours
Urgent care facilities are open more hours than the doctor’s office it may not be enough. You need to ensure that the facility you visit is open. For instance, do not drive to a facility at midnight if you are not sure they will be open. That can be quite disappointing when you have to get back on the road and find help elsewhere.
You should also confirm that they are open during the holidays. Some of these facilities are usually not open on the holidays. A simple phone call can help you know whether visiting the facility will be the right choice or not. You should also note that most urgent care facilities are often open on holidays, but some of the services like lab testing may not be offered.
Even on regular operating days, some of the equipment may break down or be in need of upgrades and repairs. Always call to ensure that you will get the services you need when you get to the center.
