If you are living in Canada, you are probably enjoying the benefit of having universal health care. Public health care services can be accessed just by showing your health insurance card to the medical clinic or hospital in your province and territory. Even if you do not have a government health card, most areas in Canada still offer free medical services depending on your immigration status. If you are suffering from life-threatening medical emergencies, you can immediately go to a hospital. If you are feeling a bit under the weather, you can go to a walk-in clinic instead.
What is a walk-in clinic?
A walk-in clinic is a kind of health care provider that offers medical service even without appointments. Walk-in clinics were initially made to cater to people living in Canada without any insurance initially, but they have become a reliable health care alternative for everyone nowadays.
If you are suffering from illnesses that are not life-threatening, going to a walk-in clinic is the right choice. Regularly, the physician in these quick care centers can diagnose and treat the following:
- Common cold
- Cough
- Earache
- Fever
- Rashes, skin allergies, and other skin problems
- Severe Migraine
- Stomach ache
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea and constipation
- Minor eye injury, redness, itchiness, or discharge
- Sprain
- Back pain
- Minor wounds and burns
- Sore throat
- Urinary discomfort
- Other minor ailments
To see the complete list of services that you can avail in your local quick care center, do check resources online if they have a website or contact number that you can call.
Advantages of walk-in clinics
If you experience symptoms that need the attention of a licensed help professional, visit your local clinic. Here are some benefits of doing so:
Cut back waiting time. Your local quick care center will probably be less congested than that of a hospital’s emergency room. This lessens the waiting time of patients looking forward to being checked by health providers. Also, if your symptoms are less severe, going to your local clinic will free up space for hospitals to respond to more life-threatening cases.
This is not always the case, though. Some private centers are smaller than your regular doctor’s office, so they may accommodate fewer people. Familiarize yourself with the ones in your locality while you are not feeling ill yet so that you will not be disappointed when you get there.
Accessible anytime, anywhere. Walk-in clinics are becoming popular nowadays, so it is not surprising to see them in every province and territory in Canada. You are sure to have one just near your home. What’s more, they are available 24/7. You can easily show up without an appointment and still expect to be accommodated no matter what time it is.
Spend less money on check-ups. Check-ups in walk-in clinics cost less than that of a hospital’s ER. It is also cheaper than the traditional by-appointment check-ups. As mentioned earlier, urgent care clinics were initially made to cater to people with no insurance coverage, so the healthcare services are relatively economical. It is better to ask around, though. Some centers, especially those located in prime areas, may charge differently.
So why should you go to walk-in clinics in Canada?
Others may think that walk-in clinics are competing with primary care providers, which are your family doctors and the hospitals. These quick care centers can also complement primary care, though. If you have proper insurance and a trusted physician, it is always your choice to go to primary care providers for consultation; however, there are many other reasons why you should consider going to a quick care center.
You do not have a family doctor. The Ontario Medical Association revealed that almost 800,000 people in Ontario do not have a family doctor, so the next alternative may be walk-in clinics.
You might prefer staying in your home for your check-up. Absent a vaccine, Covid-19 is still lurking around and is here to stay. These quick care centers offer online consultations if you are still hesitant to travel outside your home. Talking to online doctors is a safe alternative right now to avoid contracting infectious illnesses.
You need a fast healthcare service. You feel a burning sensation while urinating, and it is getting excruciating and uncomfortable. If you call your family doctor, the appointment is still next week. You do not want to enter a hospital ER because of the Covid-19 protocols in place. Where do you go? This a familiar scenario for clients of quick care clinics, and indeed these clinics deliver the necessary health care if you need to talk to a doctor immediately for the treatment of an illness that is not too serious for an emergency room.
Some people prefer the comfort of seeing familiar faces during check-ups. Others choose convenience over familiarity. If faced with the same situation of choosing your healthcare provider, weigh in the factors, and see if going to a walk in clinic Edmonton center is right for you.