Benefits of Having Orthopedic Urgent Care Walk-in Centers

Why is Orthopedic Urgent Care Better Than Standard Urgent Care or an ER?

In an urgent care or ER, you will be seen by a physician that has a wide range of general expertise. Angela Villada, COTA/L, certified occupational therapy assistant at OrthoNOW says, “Generally, while you receive great care at an urgent care or emergency room, most of the time they take care of your immediate needs and then they ask you to follow up with an orthopedic physician.”

Visiting an urgent care or an ER means they will treat the immediate problem and then refer you to an orthopedic specialist. While these facilities may take an X-ray to diagnose the fracture or send you away with pain medications for your lower back strain, their treatment plan will inevitably consist of sending you to someone else who is an expert in treating these illnesses.

Healthcare is complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Having the same clinical team working on getting you well, instead of being referred to a different provider is a great argument for selecting an orthopedic urgent care for your musculoskeletal problem.

If you’re seen by an OrthoNOW clinical specialist at one of our conveniently located walk-in facilities, you will receive care from an expert specializing in your exact issue. These facilities are designed for convenience, with no appointment needed. Unlike a busy hospital ER, where your illness will be triaged against all other kinds of emergencies, you will be top of the list at an OrthoNOW facility designed just for you. In most instances, you will be diagnosed, treated, and released within the hour. Compare this to a hospital, where the average wait time is 40-minutes just to be seen. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 22 million ER visits took even longer.

What Kinds of Problems are Treated at an Orthopedic Urgent Care?

Any urgent care is designed to provide you with more convenient service for those sudden illnesses or injuries that life exposes you to. The problem is that general urgent care facilities are not equipped to handle specific orthopedic injuries beyond triage and referral to an orthopedic surgeon or specialist.

Orthopedic urgent cares can provide immediate and continuous care for all musculoskeletal problems as they arise. This could include:

• Back pain or “throwing out” your back
• Foot and heel pain
• Knee pain, stiffness, and swelling
• Muscle and joint swelling and pain
• Pulled muscles
• Severe arthritis symptoms
• Shoulder trauma and range of motion problems
• Sprains and stress fractures
• Sudden trauma from a fall or an accident
• Suspected dislocations, fractures, or sprains
• Weakness or pain in your hands and arms

The OrthoNOW walk-in urgent care facilities treat these and other ailments of the joints, bones, and muscles. Our clinical teams are trained exclusively in these types of issues and we have a full-service network of orthopedic surgeons and rehabilitative therapists to get you back to health.

How Does an Orthopedic Urgent Care Save Me Time and Money?

Cutting out the middleman is a common concept for saving money when you’re seeking out any type of service. It’s no different in healthcare. Why would you add an additional layer by going to a regular urgent care for your orthopedic problem?

Angela Villada suggests that going straight to an orthopedic care clinician saves you money, because, “They only have one claim, one copayment.” That’s a good point. Many healthcare premiums require a copay, or upfront payment, for services. If you go to an ER or a generic urgent care for your orthopedic issue, you may pay a copay. Then, when you’re referred to an orthopedist, there’s another copay. With an orthopedic urgent care, you cut out the first payment entirely and go straight to the clinician that can help you heal. The same is true if you’re paying out-of-pocket or you have a deductible to meet.

Then there is the issue of time savings that comes with going straight to an orthopedic urgent care. Look at the differences in how you’re treated:

• Emergency room—You are triaged in relation to all the other people in the room, which usually means a very long wait before receiving care, only to be given a referral

General urgent care—You’re seen more quickly than an ER, but you’re also referred to an orthopedist which means more time spent waiting to see a doctor who can help

In contrast, an orthopedic urgent care treats the source of the problem immediately. Angela Villada describes the average patient visit in this way, “Walking in to get that care right away, and, within an hour, you’ve come out not only with the proper care, but a follow-up care plan as well. That’s important.”

OrthoNOW is an urgent care that provides you not only with immediate access to orthopedic specialists but also direct access to orthopedic surgeons. This cuts down on the time you spend following up on a referral from the general urgent care or ER.

Why Would I Go to an Orthopedic Urgent Care Over an ER or General Urgent Care?

Angela Villada states,

At OrthoNOW we take care of those orthopedic needs right away, avoiding the wasted time, expenses, additional claims, and additional price,” of a general urgent care or ER.”

View the list of convenient OrthoNOW locations for you to visit whenever you need immediate care of your musculoskeletal problem.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call us at (305) 537-7272 or drop by.  Walk-Ins welcome.