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Difference Between an Urgent Care and a Walk-in Clinic

What is the difference between an urgent care and a walk-in clinic?

Urgent care clinics and walk-in clinics are similar in many ways, as they both accept walk-in appointments, and neither are equipped to treat life-threatening medical emergencies. At Immediate care of Oklahoma, we proudly provide urgent care services to patients. For more information, call us now. We have 7 convenient locations to serve you in Oklahoma City, OK.

Urgent care clinics and walk-in clinics are similar in many ways, as they both accept walk-in appointments, and neither are equipped to treat life-threatening medical emergencies. At Immediate care of Oklahoma, we proudly provide urgent care services to patients. For more information, call us now. We have 7 convenient locations to serve you in Oklahoma City, OK.
Urgent care clinics and walk-in clinics are similar in many ways, as they both accept walk-in appointments, and neither are equipped to treat life-threatening medical emergencies. At Immediate care of Oklahoma, we proudly provide urgent care services to patients. For more information, call us now. We have 7 convenient locations to serve you in Oklahoma City, OK.

What is the difference between an urgent care and a walk-in clinic?
What is the difference between an urgent care and a walk-in clinic?

Table of Contents:

What is the purpose of a walk-in clinic?
What is the purpose of an urgent care clinic?
Are urgent cares more convenient than an ER?
Is it better to go to an ER or an urgent care?

What is the purpose of a walk-in clinic?


A walk-in clinic provides basic medical services to individuals without requiring them to schedule appointments in advance. In this way, walk-in clinics serve as a convenient alternative to primary care clinics or emergency rooms when an individual requires same-day medical attention for a minor illness or injury or for those that do not have a primary care physician. Some of the services and treatments that walk-in clinics commonly provide include the following:

Cold and flu evaluations
Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
Ear infections
Fever
Flu shots and immunizations
Mild fractures, sprains, and strains
Minor burns, cuts, and lacerations
Physical examinations
Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
Sinus infections
Sore throat
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

What is the purpose of an urgent care clinic?


Urgent care clinics function in a very similar way to walk-in clinics. However, they are typically able to provide more advanced services and treat more severe injuries and illnesses. As such, while both urgent care and walk-in clinics accept walk-in appointments, urgent care clinics conduct patient evaluations for every individual that comes to the clinic for a medical concern. With that being said, urgent care clinics are not sufficiently equipped to treat life-threatening medical emergencies.

Urgent care clinics can provide every service that a walk-in clinic can provide, in addition to treatment for more serious physical injuries and illnesses, x-ray and laboratory services, and other services that vary from clinic to clinic. At Immediate Care of Oklahoma, we provide the following services and treatments:

Abdominal pain
Allergic reactions
Asthma and bronchitis
Auto accident injuries
Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exams
Dislocations, fractures, sprains, and strains
Drug testing
Flu shots and immunizations
Occupational medicine
On-site laboratory and X-ray services
Mononucleosis
Pneumonia
Rashes and skin infections
Strep throat
Suture removal
Tuberculosis (TB) testing
Walk-in electrocardiogram (EKG) services
Wellness shots
Worker’s compensation injury management and treatment
Wound care

Are urgent cares more convenient than an ER?


In many ways, an urgent care clinic can be much more convenient than either your primary care doctor or the emergency room. If you require same-day medical attention for a medical concern that is not life-threatening, an urgent care clinic will likely be your best option. Primary care clinics typically require appointments to be made in advance, while emergency rooms often have long wait times for patients who have medical concerns that are not critical or life-threatening. Moreover, the services at an urgent care clinic will most likely be much less expensive than those provided in an emergency room.

Is it better to go to an ER or an urgent care?


If both the urgent care clinic and the emergency room are open, there is typically one determining factor to consider when deciding if you should go to the emergency room or urgent care clinic for medical attention. That determining factor is if your medical concern is a life-threatening medical emergency or not. If it is, then you should go to your nearest emergency room immediately. If your medical concern is not a life-threatening medical emergency, then you will likely save both time and money by going to an urgent care clinic.

For more information about the difference between urgent care and walk-in clinics or to see one of our doctors at Immediate Care of Oklahoma, we welcome to call us, schedule an appointment through our website, or visit one of our seven clinics in Edmond, Norman, Yukon, and Oklahoma City, OK, for a walk-in appointment. We serve patients from West Moore OK, Norman (HealthPlex) OK, Norman (24th) OK, Edmond OK, Yukon OK, I-240 & Sooner RD OK, Tecumseh OK, and Bethany OK.

Our Locations

Edmond

Norman (Healthplex)

  • 3321 W. Tecumseh Rd. 125, Norman (HealthPlex), OK 73072
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Norman (24TH)

Tecumseh

Yukon

  • 10616 US Highway 66 Suite 100 Yukon, OK 73099
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West Moore

  • 11808 S May Ave Oklahoma City, OK 73170 (South OKC)
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Choctaw

l-240 & Sooner Rd.

Directions to Nearest Location