Urgent care: Do’s and don’ts for best results

Urgent care is the ideal place to seek medical evaluation and treatment for non-emergencies — think cuts, minor stomach pain, urinary tract infections and fever.

“They are a great way to get you and your family the care you need,” says Dr. Ryan Gibney, medical director of the emergency room at UCI Health — Irvine, opening Dec. 10.

While they are faster and less expensive than an ER, Gibney says patience is still a must.

“While ‘urgent’ implies ‘rapid,’ wait times can often be closer to one or two hours.”

Gibney and Dr. Graham Stephenson, medical director of the UCI Health — Urgent Care in Irvine, share their do’s and don’ts for a successful visit to urgent care.

Be sure to:

• Be kind and patient to the staff.
• Bring a list of current medications.
• Bring something to keep yourself or young ones entertained.
• Verify your eligibility to be seen by calling your health insurer. Unlike emergency rooms, urgent care coverage is not always universal.
• Verify services available before coming. “Urgent care offices have a very wide range of options and services. Some may not have X-rays, while others may have full imaging services,” says Stephenson.
• Be prepared to be referred to an ER instead. “Certain conditions such as chest pain, abdominal pain and neurologic complaints present significant risk and can’t always be evaluated completely in the urgent care setting,” Gibney notes.

Don’t:

• Wander off while waiting. If your name is called and you’re not there, the next person will be called.
• Ask for treatments or medications your provider feels are unnecessary, including antibiotics — even if you saw them on social media. “The biggest asset a provider can give you is their opinion and education, which does not always include a medication,” says Stephenson.
• Expect diagnosis or treatment for vague, persistent symptoms that have been present for months or years. “The mystery of the human body can’t be unraveled in 10 minutes,” Gibney says. “Working with a primary care doctor is critical for getting answers.”
• Bring small children, immunocompromised individuals and other at-risk non-patients. “Urgent care offices are often crowded with people who have varying illnesses that can pose an undue risk to these populations.”
• Bring pets that are not defined as a service animal by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Emotional support pets are not service animals.
• Take calls, especially on speakerphone. Step outside if you must.

UCI Health — Irvine urgent care

UCI Health — Urgent Care in Irvine is located in the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care, which provides a welcoming and hospitable environment for you and your loved ones. Complete with views of the serene San Joaquin Marsh Reserve, the atmosphere helps promote healing and well-being.

Features:

• Walk-in care with no appointment necessary
• Point-of-care testing, limited ultrasound and diagnostic X-ray services
• Treatment for minor injuries, infections, colds, flu, stomach pains, cuts, sprains, eye infections, urinary issues and other non-emergency conditions.