With a third dose of penicillin you am madly itching: face, eyes, nose, eyelids, ears, arms, and chest. Splotches forming on forearms, breathing normal, and patiently waiting in the clinic to have a doctor tell you just how much Benadryl you can have at one time. Treating strep is always a challenge for you, but you are thankful that the pain and swelling in your throat is decreasing.
We are a nation battling severe health problems. From high blood pressure and cholesterol to an increasing number of people with diabetes, the unhealthy lifestyles that many Americans live are taking a toll. After years of fast foods and little exercise, Americans are paying the high price of severe health problems. And while researchers are still trying to discover the lasting and further implications of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating, individuals find themselves searching for ways to improve their habits or face a life of life threatening health conditions.
Whether you are dealing with a strep throat infection or high blood pressure, finding reliable healthcare is important. And whether you visit a hospital emergency room, a walk-in urgent care clinic, or a family physician, you are looking for three basic things: reliable care, convenient care, and affordable care.
Patients return to providers who administer reliable care. Both hospital emergency rooms and 24 hour urgent care locations provide reliable care, but it is important that patients feel a rapport with the provider they work with. From nurse practitioner to family physician, a knowledgeable care giver inspires confidence and encourages return visits. And while you might feel the most comfortable with your family physician who you have known your whole life, reliable care is available in many locations.
Patients often require convenient care. When your child gets sick when you are out of town or if you sprain an ankle on the weekend, you need access to convenient care. Fortunately, 97% of all urgent care centers in the year 2014 operated seven days a week, and 99% are open at least four hours a day. For many Americans, the most convenient care, then, is at these walk in clinics that do not require advanced appointments.
Patients need affordable health care options. The fact that an increasing number of Americans are realizing the importance of preventative health care means that more and more Americans are in search of affordable options. In the past while many people relied on emergency rooms for their health care, an increasing number of people are taking advantage of the more affordable care offered at a walk-in health clinic.
Whether you are looking for a cure for strep throat or an examination of a rolled ankle, you have many choices for where you get the health care that you need. The ultimate goal should be to find a location that provides reliable, convenient, and affordable care. If you are trying to avoid severe health problems later in life, it is important to make sure that you eat correctly, exercise frequently, and treat your symptoms sooner rather than later.
