When thinking about where to go for your healthcare needs, choosing an emergency room over a clinic can often be a tough decision, especially if you’re not experiencing an emergency or requiring surgery. Today, independent clinics offer more for their patients than just annual well visits. As clinics provide a wide range of convenience, we highlight our top five reasons why you should go to an independent clinic over an emergency room when you’re not feeling well.

1. Less Expensive 

Independent clinics are far more affordable than an emergency room. If you have ever gone to a emergency room for an acute illness or injury, you know that the cost can be substantial. Hospital prices can average from as low as $300 to upwards of $600 for an acute illness like allergies, earache, acute bronchitis, sore throat, sinusitis, and more. On the contrary, clinics offer those same services for much less with averages ranging from $50 to $150, but it all depends on your insurance and whether you have hit your deductible.

For those who are uninsured, Voyage Healthcare charges $150 for an office visit, $350 for a maternity care visit, and then any remaining balance is due upon receipt of the statement, but there are other ways you can lower the cost of healthcare. PrimaCare Direct is a health membership for unlimited primary care and it is offered at our offices for a low monthly fee of $75 per member. To save some added out-of-pocket fees from emergency rooms, head to a clinic next time you’re feeling ill.

2. Family Friendly at Voyage Healthcare

Our staff will make you feel like you’re part of the Voyage Healthcare family from the moment you walk through our doors until the time you leave. Not only do we greet our guests with a smile, but we always strive to give our patients the best when it comes to multi-specialty care. Caring is a tradition at Voyage Healthcare, and as our philosophy, we provide quality family healthcare at an affordable cost.

3. Personalized Patient-Provider Care

Due to their fast-paced nature, emergency rooms lack a patient-provider relationship as they are intended for emergencies. Independent clinics go a step further by developing a close patient-provider relationship with guests, so that patients feel comfortable and eager to discuss any issues with their provider. Since 1953, we’ve continued to serve patients with a personal touch while promoting positive experiences in the healthcare industry. Get to know more about our personalized care in our top 10 myths about independent clinics blog post.

4. Flexible Scheduling

Emergency rooms see patients based on a triage system, in which the most acutely ill patients are seen first, which may leave you stuck in the waiting room for quite some time. Voyage Healthcare offers both appointments and a walk-in clinic for you to see a provider, letting you schedule appointments for the date and time that you would like.

If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to stress about making it to an appointment on time, just walk in to one of our three locations in Maple Grove, Osseo, and Plymouth that offer walk-in appointments. The walk-in option is ideal for someone who needs to see a provider for an acute illness or injury, but doesn’t want to wait for hours at a hospital or schedule an appointment.

5. Multiple Locations

Emergency rooms usually don’t offer a large selection of locations for patients to choose from when it comes to their healthcare needs as they are located within a hospital. If you live in a town where there is only one emergency room it may be difficult to travel elsewhere, especially if you’re dealing with an acute illness. Not to mention that if there is only one ER, wait times may increase exponentially.

For Voyage Healthcare, there are four different locations throughout the Northwest Twin Cities area, which add an extra layer of convenience for patients. Having multiple clinics makes it easier for patients to find their closet provider without having to go to an emergency room.

Experience a Top Twin Cities Clinic

With Voyage Healthcare offering four independent clinic locations throughout the Twin Cities, it's no surprise that when you have an acute illness or injury, you'll want to go there!

Request an appointment with your provider or check out our walk-in clinic at Osseo, Plymouth, and Maple Grove. We're sure to assist you with any health need, no matter your life stage.

Not sure what to ask your provider? Cut the confusion with our handy guide below!