Using Digital Radiography in Urgent Care Centers

As one of the fastest growing segments of American healthcare, urgent care centers are walk-in medical clinics that treat patients with minor conditions that don’t require a trip to the emergency room. However, these facilities also conduct Digital Radiography scans using top tier imaging technologies.

In a time when patients are looking to reduce the amount of expenses associated with standard hospital visits and treatments, these centers offer lower-cost opportunities that people look for. With average wait times in traditional health settings on the rise, urgent care is becoming a more popular alternative for patients.

Hospitals and Urgent Care Centers
According to the Urgent Care Association of America, there are more than 9,000 clinics operating in the United States. Altogether, they staff nearly 20,000 physicians who work to provide rapid treatment for patients in need. Additionally, a survey from the National Library of Medicine showed that using urgent care centers saved patients and their insurance providers almost $4.7 billion per year in expenses.

The main difference between Urgent Care Clinics and Emergency Care Hospitals is in the services they provide. A patient being admitted to an Emergency Hospital typically has an injury or medical condition that may be life-threatening and require immediate attention. On the other hand, the services of Urgent Care Centers are similar to the efforts of a primary care physician in that they handle minor traumas and illnesses. Because the coverage of walk-in clinics may not be as expansive as emergency rooms, these facilities are becoming increasingly popular.

Typically, Urgent Care clinics provide upfront pricing on their treatments, including any Diagnostic Imaging procedures that may be conducted during a visit. Emergency care facilities might charge double or triple prices on treatments, simply because they are labeled as “emergencies.” Because of this, urgent care can be a more affordable option for Americans without insurance who may have minor ailments that don’t require immediate action.

Digital Radiography in Urgent Care
For Urgent Care Centers, fast and effective treatment of patients is essential to their success. In order to achieve this, many turn to Digital X-ray Equipment and other technologies that provide rapid, thorough results. Before the development of this innovation, most urgent clinics utilized film for their medical imaging procedures. These would take a considerable amount of time to develop and be reviewable for treatment plans. With digital x-ray technology, physicians can get immediate results from their tests and start treating injuries and conditions as fast as possible.

In addition to speed, digital radiography equipment also provides physicians with the ability to enhance images for better interpretations. They are able to change the resolution, contrast and brightness in order to have a better understanding of what they are looking at.

Finally, Digital Imaging can be uploaded and transmitted through the Internet. This allows urgent care physicians to consult with other specialists on diagnoses and possible treatments for patients.

The future of the Urgent Care market
Since 2008, the number of Urgent Care Centers has gone from 8,000 to 9,300 and continues to climb. For patients that require medical attention on evenings and weekends when primary care physicians are typically unavailable, these facilities offer a cost-effective alternative for diagnosing conditions and receiving substantial treatment.

According to the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine, between 700 and 800 new clinics open every year in the U.S. That means each day, an increasing number of physicians make use of the advantages digital radiography equipment provides them in their healthcare setting. These centers are benefiting from the numerous innovations in healthcare technology that serve to improve the quality of care in America while driving down health-associated costs.

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Ronny Bachrach

Marketing Director at Viztek LLC

Responsible for all marketing activities including, press, advertising, trade show coordination, website management, dealer and customer communications.