Add Flexibility to Your Day: Walk-ins Now Available!

Jan 16, 2019 7:53:27 AM / by Voyage Healthcare Team posted in Family Medicine, Health Tips, Voyage Healthcare News

Are you sick, but not sick enough for an emergency room? Don’t have time to schedule an appointment? No worries, Voyage Healthcare is excited to announce that we now offer walk-ins for adults and pediatric care! Get to know all about walk-in appointments, what they are, what we treat, and all the wonderful benefits that walk-in clinics provide patients.

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What are Walk-in Clinics?

Walk-in clinics serve patients by addressing non-life threatening care needs without that patient having to go to a hospital or emergency room. These options are also convenient for those seeking flexibility in their day who don’t have the time to schedule an appointment.

Visits during a walk-in are meant to care for acute illnesses and injuries.Acute illnesses have an abrupt onset of symptoms and typically have a short duration. Some acute illnesses and injuries include the following:

Acute Illnesses

  • Bronchitis
  • Common Cold
  • Influenza
  • Strep Throat
  • Tonsillitis
  • Respiratory Infections
  • Earache
  • Rashes
  • Fevers
  • Headaches or Migraines

Acute Injuries

  • Minor Broken Bones
  • Minor Cuts
  • Minor Burns
  • Sprains
  • Tendonitis
  • Pain

Sometimes acute illnesses may include severe injuries or illness such as a heart attack or an asthma attack. In these circumstances, it’s best to go to an emergency room. Emergency rooms typically perform trauma care and assess based on triage (an assignment of urgency), which means if a patient goes in for a sprained ankle, they may have to wait a while (if not hours), before they are assessed by a nurse or provider. Plus, using a walk-in clinic for acute illnesses or injuries frees up emergency rooms for those who need it most!

Note: If you’re experiencing a severe injury or illness, or having a life-threatening situation, please find the nearest emergency room or call 911.

Beyond injuries and illnesses that walk-ins help alleviate, there are a few other services provided. Exams, lab work, X-rays, sutures, castings, and more can all be done when a patient walks in at Voyage Healthcare.

5 Benefits of Walk-ins

There are many advantages to choosing a walk-in clinic for your illnesses and injuries. We list five of our top reasons patients should opt to go to a clinic for non-life threatening, acute ailments instead of an emergency room.

1. No Appointments: You won’t have to worry about scheduling an appointment or being able to squeeze that appointment time into your busy schedule. If you’re sick, just walk-in, it’s that easy!

2. Easy to Access Records: When you visit Voyage Healthcare for a walk-in, you’ll receive care at the clinic where you usually see your primary care provider, which means easier access to records and documents about your health. Plus, if it’s a familiar place for you, you won’t have the stress of whether or not documents transferred properly between clinic locations.

3. Reduced Wait Times: Don’t worry about long lines or waiting in triage until your turn, walk-ins significantly reduce wait times for patients. Unlike a typical hospital setting, walks-ins allow for patients to get in and see a provider sooner rather than later without the hassle of waiting for hours at a time.

4. Minimal Cost: Unlike an emergency room where bills can rack up quickly, walk-in clinics are comparable to your primary care office. Take a look at Voyage Healthcares payment and insurance options to see if you’re covered.

5. Provider-Patient Relationships: Walk-in care allows a closer provider-patient relationship than with a visit elsewhere. Voyage Healthcare’s, Dr. Colson explains that “patients are seen by physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners [during walk-ins],” and, “you may even be able to meet with the provider you usually see.”

Voyage Healthcare Walk-in Locations

Walk-ins are currently offered at three of our locations: Maple Grove, Osseo, and Plymouth. Not only do we provide walk-ins for our patients, but Voyage Healthcare has an excellent line-up of a wide range of specialty services.

When you’re feeling ill, walk-in at Voyage Healthcare, or schedule an appointment with your provider!

Not sure what questions to ask your Provider? Cut the confusion with our free guide!

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Voyage Healthcare Team

Written by Voyage Healthcare Team

Voyage Healthcare is an independently owned, multi-specialty healthcare clinic — guided by the doctors who care for families in the northwest metro area of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

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