Orthopedic walk-in clinics are designated to treat injuries or illnesses that directly affect the body’s bones, joints, and ligaments. If you go to an expert provider specializing in orthopedic care, you can be sure that your care will meet the highest standards in the field.
When you have pain from a sprain, fracture, arthritis, or another injury, you need help quickly, and there are many options for care. Should you go to urgent care or the emergency room? What if there were walk-in clinics where orthopedic injuries are the only focus?
In this blog, we will review the benefits of Orthopedic Walk-In Clinics and why going straight to the expert first, is vital to your comfort level and most of all, your recovery.
What is an Orthopedic Walk-In Clinic?
Orthopedic walk-in clinics give you access to specialized care, a correct diagnosis, and quick treatment. They have more evening hours and offer specialized services at lower out-of-pocket costs than you will experience in an emergency room setting. So, you can get the care you need on your own time and within your budget.
You can just walk into a walk-in clinic without making an appointment or calling ahead. Plus, orthopedic walk-in clinics typically stock needed essentials such as walking boots, casting supplies, and crutches, so you can get what you need quickly and easily.
The Benefits of an Orthopedic Walk-In Clinic
Orthopedic Expertise
General practitioners work in primary care walk-in clinics for a good reason. From colds and flu to chest pain and eye infections, they see and treat it all. On the other hand, an orthopedic walk-in clinic is a place that treats injuries to the bones, muscles, and joints. A doctor who has extensive training in orthopedics will evaluate your injury and carefully assess your situation.
Having this kind of expertise on the spot is important to your recovery from whatever injury or condition you may be suffering from. Your treatment will depend on your diagnosis and its severity.
Avoid Emergency Room Visits
Not every injury is alike. So, orthopedic walk-in clinics can help with some minor injuries that need treatment but aren’t life-threatening enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room. Say you sprained or broke your ankle at a nighttime sporting event. You might be more likely to go to an orthopedic walk-in clinic than to the hospital, which could be more expensive.
Orthopedic Walk-In Clinics are Cost Effective
The only time you should go to an emergency room is when your life is in danger. If you have a bone or joint injury that can’t wait but isn’t life-threatening, first look for the closest orthopedic walk-in clinic.
On-Site X-rays, MRIs, and more
An orthopedic walk-in clinic can offer X-rays, MRIs, and other procedures, just like a hospital. Most are part of an orthopedic practice, so they are much cheaper than going to the emergency room. Braces, walking aids, and other devices to help with recovery are also available at orthopedic walk-in clinics.
Quick Diagnosis
Due to the availability of on-site testing, TOC can give you a diagnosis right away. A faster diagnosis leads to a faster treatment plan and a faster recovery.
Access to the Right Orthopedic Specialists
One of the best things about an orthopedic walk-in clinic is that if you need to be referred to a specialist, such as a hand, foot and ankle, knee, hip, or back specialist, a healthcare professional at the clinic can help you get in touch with the right people.
The care providers on TOC’s team include physical and occupational therapists, interventional pain management services, and orthopedic surgeons. This means that you have access to a full range of orthopedic care.
After Hours Availability
In terms of the time of day, one of the best things about orthopedic walk-in clinics for people who work during the day is that they can be seen after hours for things like a sudden pain, a dislocation, a broken bone, or a muscle spasm that is keeping them from sleeping.
Hours of operation may be different from one clinic to the next, but these walk-in situations usually have hours both after 5 p.m. and on the weekends to make them more accessible. For example, TOC’s walk-in clinics are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
What Conditions are Treated at an Orthopedic Walk-In Clinic?
Generally, the problem with most urgent care centers is that they aren’t set up to treat orthopedic injuries beyond triage and sending the patient to an orthopedic surgeon or specialist.
Orthopedic urgent care can help with all kinds of musculoskeletal problems as soon as patients walk through the door. These include but are not limited to:
- If you have back pain or you feel like you “threw it out”
- Foot and heel pain
- Knee pain, stiffness, and swelling
- Pain and swelling in muscles and joints
- Pulled muscles
- Signs of severe arthritis
- Shoulder damage and problems with the range of motion
- Strains and stress fractures
- Sudden trauma from a fall or an accident
- Dislocations, breaks, or sprains
- Hands and arms that hurt or are weak
Visit an Orthopedic Walk-In Clinic Today
Here at Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance, we have many orthopedic walk-in clinic locations with specialists ready to treat our patients. Our doctors work hard to answer all of their patients’ questions and listen to their concerns.
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