All too often Americans find themselves faced with a medical problem that needs to be resolved quickly. Unfortunately, they are not able to get a doctor’s appointment in time. With no other options, they turn to hospital emergency rooms. Of course this has lead to emergency rooms being flooded with patients who do not have life threatening or critical medical emergencies. This has caused long waiting times at many emergency rooms for patients with no other place to turn.

Fortunately, there is another option. Urgent care centers are designed specifically to treat patients who need immediate care, but are not facing life threatening or critical medical issues. No appointment is needed to be seen at an urgent care facilities, rather patients are seen on a walk in basis. All facilities are staffed by medical professionals, just like at a hospital, with at least one doctor on staff at most times. Typically patients have to wait much less to be seen at urgent care centers. In fact, most patients are seen within 20 minutes of their arrival. Many of these centers provide 24 hour urgent care as well.

Urgent care centers are becoming popular all across the country. It is estimated that as many as three million patients visit an urgent care center every week in the United States. There are now almost 130,000 people in the United States working in urgent care centers. To find urgent care centers near you, look online. Remember to skip the emergency room next time you have a non critical medical problem. References.