After Hours Clinic – Best for Non-episodic Care

After Hours clinics are becoming increasingly popular in the United States because you get the same level of service you expect from your private physician when his or her office is closed. 

“I have been coming to afterhours clinic in Washington DC since the past couple of years because they are open during the evenings and on weekdays”, says a saleswoman at a department store. 

Yes, for continuity of care your primary care doctor is the best, but if the situation warrants, an afterhours clinic is the next choice. 

Fortunately, most afterhours clinics have facilities for blood test and X-rays.

 

This simply means if you or any of your loved ones gets a sprain, an afterhours clinic can determine if the bone is broken or not. 

But keep in mind that a clinic providing urgent care in Washington DC is not for a life threatening emergency.

Go to the nearest emergency room for the following symptoms:

• Severe chest or abdominal pain 

• Shortness of breath

• Poisoning

• Sudden dizziness

• Deep cuts or severe burns

• Fainting or loss of consciousness

• Severe vomiting or diarrhea

• Uncontrolled bleeding 

Most doctors who come to clinics providing urgent care in Washington DC have their own daytime practices. So, it is not surprising that many of these clinics are linked through EMRs (Electronic Medical Records).

“I was surprised that an after hour’s clinic in Washington DC has access to all my past medical records”, says a Washington based stay-at-home mom. “They could access everything from my past surgeries to immunizations to allergies”. 

Yet, if you decide to go to an after hour’s clinic, be prepared to answer a lot of questions from the doctor on duty so that he or she can appropriately treat your condition.

Bring along with you the following:

• A list of all medications you have been taking including prescription and over the counter drugs 

• A record of allergies to anything including food, plants, and medications 

Health professionals admit that after hours care must be coordinated with primary care so that patients get the best continuity in care.

 

This will prevent growing number of people visiting ED or Emergency Department for non-urgent problems. 

After hours clinics themselves are faced with certain challenges. These include meeting the staffing requirements, locating at an appropriate place, practice size, and ensuring financial sustainability. 

The good news is most of the clinics have addressed these issues adequately. 

Xpress Urgent Care is a full service urgent care, lab, and on site X-ray and walk in clinic located in Arlington, VA, well-known for providing high quality care to patients.

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