Questions about your upcoming urgent care appointment? Find the answer below.
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Sand Canyon Urgent Care Frequently Asked Questions
What is urgent care and when to use it:
What is the difference between an urgent care and a primary care office?
Generally, Family Medicine providers staff Primary Care Offices. Primary care mainly addresses your preventive care needs. These include general physical exams and regular management of chronic conditions like Hypertension or Diabetes. These usually require an appointment.
On the other hand, urgent care clinics provide immediate, non-emergency care for conditions that need prompt attention but aren’t life-threatening.
Urgent care clinics are like primary care offices but with enhanced medical capabilities. Urgent care centers bridge the gap between primary care offices and emergency rooms by offering extended hours and primary care service, often open evenings, weekends, and holidays. Finally, get prompt medical attention right when you need it. Click to see appointment availability.
What’s the difference between an urgent care and an emergency room?
Urgent care clinics and an emergency room (ER) treat different conditions and have different resources, wait times, and costs.
If you have a non-life-threatening but urgent medical issues that can’t wait for a regular doctor’s appointment, see an urgent care clinic.
This may include conditions like:
– minor fractures,
– sprains,
– flu symptoms,
– ear infections, minor burns, cuts that need stitches, and mild asthma attacks.
Emergency room staff handle severe, life-threatening, or potentially life-altering conditions like:
– heart attacks,
– strokes,
– severe bleeding,
– major trauma,
– breathing difficulties,
– chest pain,
– and other critical or complex issues.
The National Institute of Health estimates that between “13.7-27.1 percent of all emergency department visits could take place at [an] alternative site,” like an urgent care clinic.
When do I use an urgent care versus an emergency room?
If you are having chest pain, feel faint, or have severe shortness of breath, then you should directly go to the emergency room. Otherwise, 70% of most ER visits can be handled in an urgent care setting. This includes most:
– sport injuries,
– lacerations,
– coughs,
– colds,
– rashes,
– eye emergencies,
– ear aches,
– sore throats,
– and most other common illnesses.
Emergency rooms generally have longer wait times. This is because they are prioritizing life-threatening cases. Additionally, the cost is significantly higher in the emergency room due to the intensive level of care and facilities available.
Insurance, urgent care, and making payments:
Will my insurance pay for urgent care visits?
Find details on our in-network insurance companies here. We also offer cash pay options. Most insurance companies will cover your urgent care visit, but we recommend you consult with your insurance company for more information.
Many insurance companies require co-pays, which should be listed on your insurance card. If your co-pay is not listed, our urgent care staff will not collect a payment at your time of service. You will receive a bill from Sand Canyon Urgent Care for any outstanding balance due.
What insurance does Sand Canyon Urgent Care accept?
We have contracts with many PPO and HMO providers. Please visit our Insurance Info Page for a comprehensive list.
Can I pay my bill online?
Yes, visit our Make a Payment page.
Wait times and in-clinic services:
How long will I have to wait?
We offer our Irvine and Laguna Hills urgent care patients the ability to reserve your spot in line.
Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis and depending on the severity of the illness or injury. We do our very best to get you in and out, door to door, within an hour.
Some patients are brought to our urgent care with serious medical problems and may need to be seen immediately for treatment. Additionally, some patients are in the waiting room for lab tests or X-rays and are not there to be seen by the doctor.
I’m a new patient. What do I need to bring with me?
Please bring photo ID and your insurance card. Please visit our Insurance Info page for accepted insurances and forms you can complete prior to your arrival to expedite check-in.
What if I need a lab test or an X-ray?
If the physician orders a lab test or X-ray, our technicians can perform the tests while you wait. Some lab tests are performed and read on-site and others may take about one day to be reviewed. After the tests have been reviewed, our physicians will call you with the results as soon as possible.
Where is the nearest Urgent Care located?
Sand Canyon Urgent Care has locations in Irvine and in Laguna Hills. Our Irvine location is at 15775 Laguna Canyon Rd Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618. Our Laguna Hills location is at 23521 Paseo De Valencia Suite 101 Laguna Hills CA, 92653.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Click here for hours and more information.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
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