4 Awesome Emergency Room Alternatives

When I was a young boy I did what young boys do, mainly, find new ways to cause head trauma.  Whether it was splitting my lip open playing basketball, getting hit with a golf ball in my forehead, or planting that same forehead on the pool coping, the result was the same…a trip with mom to the hospital emergency room.

Hospital emergency rooms are an expensive and horribly inefficient way to get healthcare.  They are full of patients who don’t need to be there and hospital staff who don’t want to be.  Take a look around next time you’re in an emergency room.  Everybody is waiting.  Staff included.

That’s how I know the vast majority of patients could find care somewhere else.  After all, if their current health problem is such an emergency, why are they OK to wait for 4 hours in an overly bright, uncomfortable, flu virus ridden room?

I don’t do emergency rooms anymore.  You shouldn’t either.  Unless of course  it’s one of those times when you actually should.

But people still do.  In fact, emergency room visits are surging under Obamacare at a time when they should be going down due to more people having health insurance.  It’s 2015!  There are much better ways to get healthcare.

Let’s look at four awesome alternatives to emergency rooms:

1.  Retail Health Clinics – These clinics are popping up inside of pharmacies, grocery stores, and “big box” stores across California and the rest of the United States.   Recently, Target made the news by opening clinics inside some of its Southern California stores.  Blue Shield is even offering a $10 Target gift card for members who visit a Target Clinic during June and July.

2.  Walk-In Doctor Offices – Routine care and common illnesses can be handled on a walk-in basis at these storefront doctor offices.  Many are staffed with only a nurse practitioner but don’t require you to be a current patient or have an appointment.  During a vacation one summer, we took our son to one of these clinics for an ear infection and were very happy with the results.

3.  Urgent Care Centers – If your condition is more severe than a chest cold but not life threatening, Urgent Care Centers are definitely the way to go.  These centers are staffed with doctors and can even do x-rays, lab tests, and stitches.

4.  Online Doctors – The way of the future.  Need to see a doctor and not want to leave your house at all?  No problem.  These online doctors now make “house calls” right through your smart phone.  Services such as livehealth.com will connect you with a board-certified doctor who can answer questions and even diagnose illnesses all through your phone’s camera.  I told you these alternatives were awesome!

Next time you think you have to visit the emergency room for a non-emergency condition, consider these four alternatives instead.  You may be able to rule out strep throat without even leaving bed.