Urgent Care Clinics: Good or Bad?

Photo credit: Pavel Danilyuk

Through no fault of my own, I have had the misfortune of having to be treated at two different Urgent Care Clinics in the past 2 weeks. 

I call it a misfortune because I was not ill and did not need medical attention, but was required to have employer-mandated testing and treatment in order to keep my two jobs. 

Each of my visits has made me pay attention to the Urgent Care/Walk-In Clinic model that seems to have inundated our neighborhoods. There are competing clinics on every corner and no one has to drive very far to find one. And, while I admit, they can be convenient and cost effective, especially for people who have no primary care doctor or health insurance, they remind me fast-food franchises for healthcare.

I also learned that some clinics are staffed by unprofessional people who have no business working in healthcare, while others offer a safe, dignified patient experience from qualified people who seem to genuinely care about patients. 

My first experience was at an Urgent Care Clinic that had a large, bright, airy waiting room. It was equipped with four large screen televisions, a water fountain, a restroom, and a coffee station where patients could make themselves a cup of tea or coffee while they waited. The receptionist's desk was out of the way and private, to keep patient conversations during registration as protected as possible. The receptionist was friendly and efficient, my wait time was minimal, my surroundings were quite comfortable. I was called in by a Registered Nurse who wore a name badge and introduced herself by name and title. I briefly encountered a Medical Assistant who wore a name badge and introduced himself by name and title and, lastly, I was seen by a Physician's Assistant who wore a name badge, introduced herself by name and title, and offered care that was above and beyond the scope of what I needed done. Overall, despite being there against my will, it was a pleasant experience and I left there thanking everyone for the care I received. 

My second experience at a different Urgent Care Clinic was the opposite. The waiting room was small, the walls were a drab tan and needed fresh paint, and the tan colored chairs were soiled with dark brown and black spots. I hesitated to sit on them, but had no choice other than standing. One wall mounted television was only visible to people on one side of the waiting room and the volume was much too loud. There was no coffee station, no water, no restroom. The reception desk stood right next to the waiting room, so we could all listen to everyone's name, address, insurance information, and the reason they were there. Hardly the ideal setting to pour out personal information and private health data. I was called in by a woman with no name badge who never told me her name or her title. I was then seen by a "provider" who had no name badge and only told me that she was a nurse practitioner, no name was offered. Lastly, I encountered a woman who made no eye contact with me, had no name badge, and never told me her name or title. Turns out the two nameless people were medical assistants and I did not encounter any nurses during my visit.

I would definitely skip the Urgent Care and go straight to an Emergency Room for any serious medical symptoms. And, while there is no guarantee that all hospital staff members are professional and perfect, I definitely prefer the old-school model of having doctors and nurses taking care of me when I'm sick.