Illnesses and injuries don’t always happen when it’s convenient to see your doctor. In recent years, small walk-in clinics have begun cropping up in drug stores everywhere promising quick medical attention and access to prescription medications. Is a retail clinic a good choice when you’re sick or hurt? Not necessarily, says Carol Ansley of Doctors Express, a center that provides urgent care in North Dallas, TX. There are major differences, she says, between a drugstore clinic and a full-service urgent care center like Doctors Express. And it’s important to understand them before you decide where to go.
Conditions Treated
When you need urgent care in North Dallas, TX, you need to know that the clinic you choose will be able to provide the treatment you need, no matter what your condition. While retail clinics are usually able to treat common conditions like colds and flu, they may not be equipped to handle more complex issues. The reason, Ansley explains, is that retail clinics are often staffed by mid-level providers – Nurse Practitioners and Physicians’ Assistants – rather than physicians.
In contrast, patients who choose Doctors Express are always seen by a physician, making it possible for Doctors Express to treat a much wider range of non-life-threatening conditions than can be treated at retail clinics. Conditions treated at Doctors Express include:
- Coughs, colds and flu
- Bone injuries including breaks, sprains, and fractures
- Bacterial infections
- Allergy problems
- Nausea, vomiting, and fevers
- Muscle and joint pain
- Migraine or other types of headaches
- Rashes and insect bites
- Cuts, burns and abrasions
Diagnostic Capabilities
In addition to providing treatment for virtually any non-life-threatening condition, Doctors Express enables its doctors to render fast, efficient and accurate diagnoses through its on-site laboratory and x-ray facilities. These capabilities are rare among North Dallas, TX, urgent care centers, and patients definitely notice the difference, says Ansley.
Customer Service
Customer service is another area in which Doctors Express excels, not only as compared to retail clinics, but as compared to other local urgent care centers as well. Ansley explains the center’s approach to customer service by explaining what she believes is wrong with medical care today: Most medical care is designed for the deliverers of the service (doctors) rather than for the users of the service (patients). Doctors Express, however, is designed for the convenience and comfort of patients.
“You drive up to the door, it’s fast and easy to be seen by a physician, you’re treated with care and respect, and you’re out the door and back to your life very quickly,” she says. “It’s a completely different than most other health care experiences.” When you need urgent care in North Dallas, TX, Doctors Express is the right choice.