How Urgent Care Answers Many Healthcare Needs

More patients of all ages, from young adults to busy families and seniors, are visiting Wellstar Urgent Care, attracted by the convenience and accessibility to skilled providers.

Urgent care is the appropriate first stop for many non-emergency situations, such as respiratory ailments, sports injuries and falls. You can make same-day appointments, walk in to one of our Urgent Care Centers or have a Virtual Urgent Care visit.

“It’s great for patients to have a place they know they can get in that day if they need to—for themselves or for their children,” said Dr. Andrew Thornton, a family medicine physician. Dr. Thornton is the lead physician at Wellstar Urgent Care in Holly Springs, Alpharetta and Woodstock.

“What I do to help patients in urgent care is very rewarding, and I think it fills a huge need in healthcare today.”

Need a visit quickly? Urgent care may be the answer

Many Wellstar Urgent Care locations have extended hours and are equipped to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, such as:

• Cough, congestion, sore throat, fever and body aches
• Stomach aches and distress
• Respiratory viruses, such as flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Sprains, strains and broken bones
• Injuries from falls, workplace accidents or sports

The centers have X-ray and CT scanning equipment, and you can get school and sports physicals. The centers also administer vaccines recommended by clinicians to prevent serious illnesses.

Urgent care can help avoid unnecessary and costly emergency room visits. But it's important to remember that the Emergency Department is the right place in any potentially life-threatening situation. Dr. Thornton advised that you should head to the emergency room if you have any of these symptoms:

• Severe chest pain, especially with tightness or squeezing
• Open wounds with uncontrolled or rapid bleeding
• Sudden severe pain
• Traumatic injury, such as from a motor vehicle accident
• Active shortness of breath
• Suicidal thoughts
• Stroke-like symptoms, such as:
• Trouble speaking
• Sudden difficulty walking
• Arm or leg weakness
• Sudden vision loss
• Confusion

Urgent care fills some of today’s healthcare gaps

Wellstar is continually seeking ways to meet the evolving needs and preferences of patients and our communities.

A Kaiser Family Foundation 2018 poll found that 45% of adults ages 18 to 29 didn’t have a primary care provider. The number was 28% for adults ages 30 to 49.

Not having a primary care provider leaves you with few options if you become ill or injured. It also means you aren’t getting care that could detect serious illnesses early, when they are more treatable.

Find a primary care provider near you.

It’s not surprising that many Gen Z and millennial patients use urgent care. According to an article in The  Journal of Urgent Care Medicine, around 36% reported having been to an urgent care clinic in the past six months.

Busy families are also frequent visitors to urgent care, a fact that Dr. Thornton said he understands firsthand as parent to two children involved in sports.

Among the common injuries Dr. Thornton sees in urgent care are sports injuries, including concussions.

“As a parent, I’ve experienced the anxiety you feel when your child is suddenly sick or hurt and you don’t know if you can get in with the pediatrician that day,” he said.

Technology ties Urgent Care Centers to Wellstar specialists and services

As busy as they may become, urgent care physicians always take the time you need.

Clinicians can use electronic medical records to review your medication list, past test results and other health information. The same system allows urgent care providers to refer you for follow-up with primary care or other specialists at Wellstar.

Often, patients come to urgent care for a provider’s note to explain why they missed work or school. “We’re always happy to see you and provide the documentation you need,” Dr. Thornton said. “But while you’re here, we will do a physical exam. We can also do testing when indicated."

Another benefit to patient care is a mobile application that records patient-provider conversations, transcribes the recordings and drafts a clinical note. Dr. Thornton said the technology frees providers to observe you closely and focus on what you’re saying.

“Patients appreciate anything we can do to keep our focus on them, especially in urgent care,” he said. “It’s a fast-paced environment. We want to be able to give them every minute that we have.”

Learn more about Wellstar Urgent Care

• Know where to go to get care —urgent care, ER, primary care or pharmacy—based on your symptoms and situation.
• Find a Wellstar Urgent Care Center or book a virtual visit.
• Sign up for Wellstar MyChart so you’re ready to make an urgent care visit the next time you or a family member needs one.
• Listen to Dr. Thornton discuss Wellstar Urgent Care practice on 95.5 WSB’s The Weekly Check-Up.