FastMed Walk-in Clinic is convenient and accessible in downtown Claremont.
Urgent care, walk-in clinic, medical clinic and convenient care clinic are terms that are often used interchangeably, yet they refer to differing healthcare organizations. Here we take a look at what characterizes these facilities so you know where to go when you are ill or injured.
What is a Walk-in Clinic?
A retail walk-in clinic offers high-quality medical care that is fast, convenient and affordable. Staffed by nurse practitioners, these clinics are typically set up inside or adjacent to a large retailer or pharmacy for maximum patient convenience. The healthcare providers at walk-in medical clinics diagnose and prescribe medications to treat a range of common conditions such as allergies, colds, flu, earache and strep throat. Some walk-in clinics, including FastMed, administer vaccinations and provide preventive care such as school physicals, health screenings and medical tests. In addition, FastMed is the first walk-in clinic to develop a medically-supervised weight loss and lifestyle management program that is certified by the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM).
Because a walk-in clinic typically offers longer hours and is open six days a week, it can accommodate patients when their doctor’s office is closed or when they cannot wait for the next available appointment. Clinical services are also less expensive than a visit to an urgent care center, costing as little as the patient’s insurance office co-pay.
How an Urgent Care is Different
The difference between urgent care facilities and walk-in clinics can vary widely. In general, urgent care centers treat patients whose illnesses or injuries are not life-threatening but require immediate medical care, such as broken bones and burns. Most urgent care locations have on-site X-ray equipment. Some urgent care facilities will see a patient who needs urgent medical care without an appointment, while others require that one call ahead. FastMed operates in the same way as Urgent Care in these respects.Additionally, urgent care centers will see patients from any primary care office, this is the most defining difference with FastMed since patients must be primary care affiliated with FastMed/Keady Family Practice.
Below is a chart to identify many circumstances where you should go for immediate care. Use common sense above all but the chart can be helpful in some circumstances.
