Five Great Reasons to Use Your Family Doctor for Urgent Care Westlake

Summer is upon us, and hopefully you are out enjoying the sunshine, water, and outdoor activities. Sometimes accidents happen though, and we want to be available for you! Many patients do not realize that we offer same day office visits, walk in clinic hours, and urgent care visits at our office. We can handle all of the same problems that Urgent Care westlake clinics offer: Stitches, Sprains, Strains, Broken Bones, Infections, Flu, Colds, Strep throat, Migraines, and much more!

1. Shorter Wait Times – The average current time it takes to be seen and discharged in the Emergency Department is 2.5 hours (160 minutes). Plus, you have a very high copay and frequently get unneeded tests that your primary care doctor already has on file (like blood counts and electrolytes). Moreover, Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care clinics are more likely to expose you to radiation for X-rays instead of trusting the physical exam to diagnose your problem. I have seen many people go to the Emergency Room for chest pain that was caused by heartburn / reflux get a Chest X-Ray. While it is good to get “the full work-up,” extra radiation has been linked to cancer. Why get exposed when you didn’t need the test in the first place?
2. Lowest Co-Pays / Deductibles – If you go to the Emergency Room, you can expect hospital bills in the mail that include high co-pays. If you are on a high-deductible health care plan, you can expect hefty amounts to pay. Plus, Emergency Rooms typically do more labs and x-rays which rack up your bill. In addition, hospitals get to add a “hospital fee” for any services rendered even if you were to get the same service at your primary care doctor. Hospitals charge more – period.
3. Personal Touch – You can expect that your primary care doctor knows you the best. We have seen you looking your best, so we know when you look your worst! We have a detailed history of all your medical problems for as long as you have been our patient. We do not need to start over. Plus, if we see that you are frequently getting UTIs or sinus infections, we can order the appropriate tests or refer you to a specialist if needed. Another antibiotic is not always the right answer!
4. Better Long-Term Care / Record Keeping – It is well known fact that hospitals and Urgent Cares do not share their records very easily. It is difficult to get any labs, tests, or x-rays that you have done at the hospital to your primary care doctor. Whereas, if you get your Urgent Care needs performed at your family doctor’s office, then we can keep track of your entire medical history. If you need imaging, a full radiology facility equipped with X-rays, CT scans, and Ultrasound is 2 minutes down the road from our location. We can get your X-rays done the same day – STAT!
5. Natural / Alternative Treatment Ideas – At our office, we often use alternative treatment regimens that other offices do not use. We are likely to recommend Vitamin C, Mushroom extracts, or probiotics to boost your immune system and enhance detoxification. If you want to avoid antibiotics, we can help use natural bacterial-killing substances that do not affect your “microbiome.” Moreover, we will recommend the best probiotic to prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea if antibiotics are needed. If you have a musculoskeletal injury, we are likely to recommend physical therapy, chiropractor, or Airrosti therapy!

Our office hours are 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. If you are sick or hurt, we will see you! Just walk-in, and we will work you in. The best time to Walk-In with the shortest wait time is between 8-10am. Feel free to call ahead and get an appointment on the books.