Nobody ever wants to find themselves in a situation where they need to seek medical attention from urgent care. However, when an injury or other medical condition needs attention (but doesn't quite warrant a trip to the hospital emergency room), urgent care is typically your best bet. If you find yourself needing to visit urgent care, however, there are some etiquette guidelines worth keeping in mind while you're in the waiting room.
Expect to Wait to See a Doctor
First of all, understand the difference between the emergency room and urgent care. If you have a true medical emergency that could be life-or-death, then you need to go to the emergency room for immediate care. In urgent care, people are served on a first-come, first-serve basis. The only exception to this would be a situation where a medial condition goes from urgent to life-threatening while the patient is in the waiting room.
Don't Forget ID/Insurance
All too often, patients are in such a rush to seek the medical treatment they need that they rush into urgent care without the identification or other documentation that they need. Unfortunately, a doctor or nurse may not be able to see you if you don't have some form of identification. Also, if you have medical insurance, be sure to bring your insurance card with you to the urgent care facility to ensure that your coverage kicks in and you aren't left with large out-of-pocket expenses.
Treat Desk Workers With Respect
When you're in pain or are rendered uncomfortable due to an illness or medical condition, it's understandable that you're going to feel agitated and distressed. However, when working with the desk workers in the urgent care waiting room, it's important to treat these professionals with the respect they deserve. They deal with dozens (if not more) of patients just like you on a daily basis, so they are certainly going to know how to handle each situation appropriately.
Keep Noise Levels Down and Respect Privacy
Finally, try to keep noise levels down to a minimum while in the waiting room, as there are likely to be others waiting who are already agitated and do not need additional stressors. While it may be tempting to bring your entire family to wait with you while you seek medical attention, try to limit the number of people you bring to just one or two to free up space in the waiting room and respect other patients' private matters.
Share9 May 2016
When it comes to taking care of yourself, some people only think about what they should avoid. However, making health care a priority is as much about preventing as it is about treating existing conditions. When I learned that I had skin cancer a few years ago, all I could think about was all of the sunblock I never put on. I want you to understand how to prevent problems, so that you can live a better life. Check out these articles to understand how to make health care a priority, and when you should visit with your doctor. It might seem like a small decision, but doing a little reading might make all the difference later.
