All too often Americans find themselves in the same position. Faced with an urgent, but non life threatening, medical condition. Naturally, you try to make a doctor’s appointment. However, it may be too late by the time you can get into a doctor’s office. With no other options, you turn to the emergency room. However, because emergency rooms are designed to deal with life threatening emergencies, the wait at an emergency room can be hours. Thankfully, there is now another option.

Urgent care facilities are designed to deal with urgent, but non life threatening, medical conditions on a walk in basis. These centers are staffed with medical professionals just like at a hospital. Some common conditions treated at an urgent care center include sprains and strains, fractures, upper respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal conditions, and concussions. While these facilities are set up to concentrate on the evaluation and treatment of acutely arising conditions, they are increasingly providing lab services, STD testing in house, x rays and routine physicals. Many facilities offer after hours, or even 24 hr urgent care.

A major advantage of urgent care centers is that are much quicker than going to the emergency room. In fact, most patients are seen within 20 minutes of their arrival. Urgent care centers are also cheaper than emergency room visits. To find the Denver urgent care center nearest you, search online. Remember that centers also perform STD testing in house as well. Next time you are in need of immediate care, skip the emergency room and head to the nearest urgent care center.