Urgent Care Clinic in Joliet, IL

Yes, patients can go to urgent care for chronic health issues; these clinics are designed to provide care in these situations, including the management of chronic conditions. However, the convenience and availability of urgent care clinics should not replace the need for care provided by a primary care physician. Primary care providers provide care on a regular basis, know their patients, and have a comprehensive understanding of their patient’s health conditions, allowing them to provide a higher level of care. This also enables primary care physicians to provide better preventative care, helping their patients avoid common health concerns or treating them before they become more serious.

In addition to this, primary care physicians also make sure immunizations are up-to-date, manage medications, and discuss health screenings like mammograms. While urgent care clinics can provide all of these services, they do not replace the importance of having a relationship with a primary care physician. Although it is strongly recommended to use these services when the doctor’s office is closed, urgent care clinics should only be used when necessary. In addition, patients who visit an urgent care clinic should update their primary care physician about the reason for the visit and any health issues that may still be present.

Urgent care clinics are typically staffed or operated by primary care physicians who have broad medical knowledge. In many cases, these health clinics provide primary care services like treatment for illnesses and health screenings. While urgent care doctors perform preventative medicine and treat chronic illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure, patients seeking treatment for a chronic condition that requires more than one doctor visit are recommended to visit their primary care physician rather than an urgent care facility.

Urgent care and the ER have many important differences, and understanding these differences can enable better care across the entire healthcare industry. As the name would suggest, the emergency room (ER) is reserved for emergency medical situations like heart attack, stroke, and anaphylaxis. On the other hand, urgent care clinics are well-prepared to handle a wide range of pressing, but not life-threatening, health issues, such as a cut, burns, allergy symptoms, asthma, flu symptoms, and much more. While urgent care clinics can handle many different concerns, they are not a replacement for emergency departments and lack some of the equipment ERs need to function effectively. Some urgent care facilities have X-rays, but only ERs have computed radiography (CR) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.

No, urgent care clinics cannot perform surgeries, although some locations may be able to handle minor invasive procedures. For example, some urgent care clinics can perform foreign body removals, which is a process used to remove an object from someone’s body, typically their eye, nose, or ear.

Internal Medicine and Family Practice is dedicated to providing you with all of your urgent care needs. Reach out today for more information or book an appointment online. Let us walk with you as you navigate your healthcare journey.  We are conveniently located at 1719 Glenwood Ave Joliet, IL 60435. We serve patients from Joliet IL, Manhattan IL, Channahon IL, Bolingbrook IL, Naperville IL, Lockport IL, Romeoville IL & Plainfield IL.