Taking your child in for regular medical care is crucial, particularly as they are growing and developing. However, instances arise when you are between primary care doctors and are unsure of where to go for care. Here’s is what should know if you don’t have a primary care doctor, but need to seek medical care for your child.
Be open to new medical facilities
When you’re between primary care doctors, it can be challenging to know where to look for your care. The type of care your child needs will depend on their injury or illness. However, it helps to be open to new facilities, as your chances of getting an appointment soon will be much higher. Try looking through your insurance company’s directory, or use online search engines to browse nearby doctors.
Know the differences between medical providers
The type of care you’ll need for your child if they break a bone is going to be very different than if they have a panic attack. Knowing the difference between different types of medical providers is absolutely crucial to making sure your child gets care efficiently. If you take your child to the wrong type of doctor, you’ll end up paying more money and wasting valuable time.
Choose between primary care, urgent care, and emergency care
The three main options for patients that need to select a doctor include the above medical facilities. Primary care is for preventive services and making sure any chronic conditions are addressed. Urgent care is dealing for problems that are non-life threatening, but still, need to be addressed quickly. They can also handle routine physicals and vaccinations in some cases. Emergency care is for large-scale health issues that need to be taken care of right away.
In some cases, you may also need specialty care, which is referred through a primary care doctor. When you are between primary care doctors, your best bet is usually to visit an urgent care center. They are more affordable than visiting the emergency room and can provide a wide range of services. They are also very accessible – no matter where you live, chances are you’ll have one close to you.
Even if you are between primary care doctors, you should still always make sure to take your child in for care when they need it. Urgent care provides an effective medical solution when you don’t have an accessible primary care doctor to visit.
