Urgent Care-What’s Missing?
The best way to look at Urgent Care and assess its viability as a healthcare solution is to look at what it is not. Healthcare as we age is like learning algebra. Each previous chapter in a patient's medical history is critical for understanding the next chapter. There is usually no established patient-doctor relationship or history with Urgent Care, leaving the provider with only the immediate symptoms to treat instead of understanding the patient's underlying condition. There can also be a lack of continuity where patients might see different providers on subsequent visits within the same urgent care facility. Since Urgent Care was designed to address a patient's immediate needs, follow-up is often left to the patient and can lead to fragmented or incomplete care. Treating medical issues in an Urgent Care setting might look more economical in the short run. Still, over time, it becomes a more expensive alternative to the preventive services available through primary care.
A better healthcare solution is having a Primary Care Provider who will establish an ongoing doctor-patient relationship, including routine checkups and screenings, to detect potential problems early on. A Primary Care's personalized nature includes understanding the patient's medical history. It allows the provider to practice preventative medicine by actively managing chronic conditions like Diabetes or Hypertension. If a patient needs to see a Specialist, a Primary Care Provider will coordinate the care, enhancing communication between providers and maintaining continuity of care. Good Primary Care Providers take a holistic approach to medicine by considering each patient's physical, mental, and emotional aspects. Educational opportunities within a practice will often include programs that address proper diet–critical for the diabetic, the impact of lifestyle choices, and other activities designed to improve a patient's overall well-being.
"Your Health" is an extensive network of Primary Care Providers, Specialists, Dieticians, Social Workers, Pharmacists, Occupational Therapists, Healthcare Coaches, and Wellness Programs dedicated to providing patients with the best possible healthcare. "Your Health" practices Value-based care and offers services in the comfort of your home, in a traditional office setting, or through online Telehealth appointments. The expanded wellness offerings within the "Your Health" network of physician's offices include yoga, mindfulness training, stress management, and IV-immunity-boosting therapies. There has never been a better time to commit to achieving good health. Make the call today and put our skilled and dedicated professionals on your healthcare team to start living your best and healthiest life.