Walk-in clinics and urgent care units are becoming very popular and OrthoNow is a version specifically for orthopedics. These clinics are great for individuals who don't want to go to the emergency r...

Walk-in clinics and urgent care units are becoming very popular and OrthoNow is a version specifically for orthopedics. These clinics are great for individuals who don't want to go to the emergency room in a hospital or make an appointment with a physician during typical office hours when injuries have occurred after regular hours. OrthoNow are open after hours, into the evenings, or on weekends. These facilities are convenient and great for getting healthcare services when a person needs them. Orthopedists are physicians who treat the human musculoskeletal systems. This includes all components that allow for movement including the muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and cartilage. Here are some things to know about these healthcare facilities.

The Medical Staff

The staff of an orthopedic walk-in clinic is comprised of highly trained and competent physicians, surgeons, nurses, nursing assistants, nurse practitioners and clerical staff. In order to become an orthopedic surgeon, the training is long and grueling. After leaving high school, an individual would complete four years of undergraduate university studies. It's necessary to have a solid foundation of pre-med courses during the under-grad years including science and math, especially those such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry and biology. Next, a person has to apply to get into medical school. This includes exams, application processes that hopefully leads to acceptance into a certified med school. After four years of intensive study, the doctor-in-training would need to complete an internship and a residency which takes another five years. Finally, he or she would need to learn more about the musculoskeletal specialty through a fellowship. The nurses, assistants and others who work in these facilities need to take many years of academic and hands-on coursework, too, but the surgeon's training takes the longest.

Injuries and Maladies Treated at OrthoNow

There are various injuries and conditions that can successfully be treated at these after-hours clinics while others will require a trip to the hospital emergency ward. Some maladies that are appropriate for these clinics include broken bones, sprains, pulled muscles, dislocated joints and anything that requires an x-ray, MRI or CT scan. Extreme emergencies such as open wounds, excessive bleeding, skull fractures, or serious traumas require a facility more equipped for life threatening situations such as the ER of a hospital. During regular doctor office hours, it's best to go in to the regular orthopedist. Appointments can be made for an urgent care facility or walk-ins are available. Patients should also follow up with their family physicians and have reports sent for their permanent medical records. OrthoNow is appropriate for patients of all ages - from babies to the elderly. Many individuals are choosing this type of urgent care unit in order to avoid long waits and higher costs. The co-pay of a typical hospital is quite a bit higher than that of a walk-in clinic.

Instead of going to a hospital's busy, overcrowded waiting room or waiting till the next day to see a doc in his or her office, many patients are opting for OrthoNow for treatment. The co-pays are lower than an ER, the wait is shorter, the hours are convenient as are the accessibility of MRIs, x-rays, and CT scans.

Article Tags: Urgent Care