When you feel sick or you don’t have a primary care physician, there are other options that are available. Before visiting a clinic or a care center, there are some tips that you should keep in mind so that you receive the best care possible. A benefit of an emergency care center is that there is usually more than one location in most cities. 

Before you go to an urgent care Santa Ana CA office, take the time to write down your symptoms so that you don’t forget to tell the doctor about how you’re feeling. When you get to a doctor’s office or hospital, you might be so nervous or overwhelmed that you forget to offer the details that are needed to make a diagnosis. Make notes about anything that’s abnormal about your daily activities, such as sleeping more often or any rashes that you notice. These details can help the doctor determine what might be going on instead of running numerous tests to find out why you’re sick. 

When you go to an urgent care office, don’t think that you’re going to be treated for every single issue that you have. There simply isn’t enough time to diagnose everything as there are likely multiple patients waiting to be seen. The urgent care is like an emergency room at a hospital but smaller and often more convenient. If there are multiple issues that you have, then you should make an appointment for a later day so that you will have more time to talk about your symptoms. You should also plan on not getting treatment for chronic issues unless the office offers primary care services. Some of the larger offices do have doctors who are willing to see patients who might not have a doctor they see on a regular basis. Any emergency situations or changes that have taken place over the course of a few days are often handled at an urgent care office. 

Sometimes, an emergency care center is a good option for taking children when they are sick or injured. However, avoid trying to get the doctor to check another child during the same visit because there likely won’t be enough time. You should also avoid trying to get a prescription for a different child just because both of them are in the office at the same time. Most urgent care offices will want you to try to only bring one child with you or make an appointment for each child separately. 

Make sure you have your insurance information as well as your copay ready to give to the front desk when you arrive. Most offices of this nature will want you to show these details before being seen or will want you to be prepared to make a cash payment. They usually don’t offer billing services unless you can pay a designated amount that they require. If you’re taking any medications, make sure you have them with you when you go to the office as this can be important to your diagnosis.