4 Key Benefits of Going to an Orthopedic Walk-In Clinic
Whether it’s scheduling, varying degrees of urgency or fear of price tags, dealing with orthopedic emergencies or non-emergencies can be tricky. Thankfully, orthopedic walk-in clinics provide an option for those acute injuries and pain and they don’t require an appointment.
Here are four key benefits of an orthopedic walk-in clinic, a feature that Orthopedic Institute (OI) happens to offer.
Avoid Unnecessary ER Visits
Not every injury is alike. That’s why some minor, non-emergency injuries that require treatment but may not be urgent enough to foot the bill for an emergency room visit can be dealt with thanks to orthopedic walk-in clinics. Say you experienced a knee sprain or fracture during an evening sporting event—you may be more inclined to take this condition to an orthopedic walk-in clinic than to a potentially pricey emergency wing of a hospital.
Be Seen After Hours
Speaking of time of day, one of the biggest benefits of orthopedic walk-in clinics for daytime workers is the ability to be seen after hours for spur-of-the-moment issues such as flare-up pain, dislocation, fracture or muscle spasm that is causing loss of sleep. Timing may vary from clinic to clinic, but these walk-in-style situations will typically offer hours both after 5 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends for added availability. For example, OI’s own walk-in clinic in Sioux Falls provides weekday hours from 3 to 7 p.m., and Saturday hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Yankton, we see patients Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Reduce Costs
It can be expensive to see a doctor in an immediate situation. Luckily, walk-in orthopedic clinics often provide flexible hours for more immediate care in cases of injury or sudden pain. Better yet, specialty clinics such as OI have the equipment available for treating these types of injuries—which isn’t always true of a general walk-in clinic. These general clinics may be able to diagnose and offer minimal services and pain relief but will often times require a referral to follow up with a different clinic or physician.
A walk-in clinic at a specialized healthcare provider such as an orthopedic clinic can offer you highly personalized care that a general urgent-care clinic may not be able to provide—not immediately, at least. OI’s walk-in clinic puts you in front of an orthopedic health professional from the get-go to meet your specific needs.
See the Right Healthcare Providers
One of the key benefits of an orthopedic walk-in clinic is that, if you need to be referred to a specialist, such as a hand, foot and ankle, or back specialist, a walk-in clinic healthcare professional can supply you the connection you need to be seen by the appropriate people, often in a timelier manner than you may expect. OI’s team consists of a variety of caregivers, from physical and occupational therapists to interventional pain management services to orthopedic surgeons, so you have comprehensive orthopedic care at your disposal.
Ready to Be Seen?
Click here for details on how to be seen at OI’s walk-in clinics, OI Now.
