When people fall ill they realize that their health is to most important thing in their lives. No amount of money or possessions can compensate for good health. This is of little consolation to the poor however. When they fall ill or injure themselves they have very limited options. The cost of medical treatment has soared to heights where very few people can afford it without comprehensive medical insurance. Thankfully, at least at a walk in physician clinic Annandale VA patients can expect basic medical treatment.
There are thousands of these clinics all over the United States. Some are run by charities and churches, others by local authorities and many of them by dispensing pharmacies in shopping malls. The main benefit of these clinics is the fact that many offer their services free of charge while others charge a small fee only. Patients can simply go to any clinic and wait until they can be helped.
The level of care offered by these clinics differs from one to the other. Some will only attend to emergencies. Others offer a wider range of services, including the treatment of minor wounds and diseases. Yet others only deal with family planning issues and the immunization of infants. Those without medical insurance should make sure that they know where these clinics are and, more importantly, what services it offer.
Patients nevertheless flock to these clinics, even if they can do no more than offer very basic services. They are free or at least affordable and they never discriminate. Clinics never turn patients away and they never even insist upon identification. They help all comers regardless of their circumstances and backgrounds. They even try to be more accessible by opening early and closing very late.
Critics say that these clinics cannot provide any form of quality medical care. Patients have to wait for hours before they are seen because they cannot make appointments. Staff manning the clinics have overwhelming workloads and can therefore not spend enough time with each patient. Most clinics are poorly equipped and woefully short of staff and other resources. This results in dangerously inferior treatment, critics say.
Only a very small number of clinics enjoy the services of a full time doctor. The others are mostly staffed by nurses that are not trained to make diagnoses and that are not allowed to prescribe medication. As a result, only the symptoms experienced by patients can be treated and all too often the underlying disease is never identified and treated.
Clinics treat patients at face value and have no access to their medical histories. This, critics say, is a major drawback of the system. If the person tending to the patient does not know his medical history he cannot know whether the patient is allergic for anything, whether he abuses substances or what illnesses he suffered from before. In those circumstances it is all too easy to make mistakes that can be detrimental.
It is lamentable that so many people have to suffer from diseases and injuries simply because they cannot pay the high fees demanded by doctors, specialists and hospitals. Clinics at least try to help and in many cases they make a real difference in the lives of their patients. Hopefully access to decent medical care will become a higher priority with the authorities.
There are thousands of these clinics all over the United States. Some are run by charities and churches, others by local authorities and many of them by dispensing pharmacies in shopping malls. The main benefit of these clinics is the fact that many offer their services free of charge while others charge a small fee only. Patients can simply go to any clinic and wait until they can be helped.
The level of care offered by these clinics differs from one to the other. Some will only attend to emergencies. Others offer a wider range of services, including the treatment of minor wounds and diseases. Yet others only deal with family planning issues and the immunization of infants. Those without medical insurance should make sure that they know where these clinics are and, more importantly, what services it offer.
Patients nevertheless flock to these clinics, even if they can do no more than offer very basic services. They are free or at least affordable and they never discriminate. Clinics never turn patients away and they never even insist upon identification. They help all comers regardless of their circumstances and backgrounds. They even try to be more accessible by opening early and closing very late.
Critics say that these clinics cannot provide any form of quality medical care. Patients have to wait for hours before they are seen because they cannot make appointments. Staff manning the clinics have overwhelming workloads and can therefore not spend enough time with each patient. Most clinics are poorly equipped and woefully short of staff and other resources. This results in dangerously inferior treatment, critics say.
Only a very small number of clinics enjoy the services of a full time doctor. The others are mostly staffed by nurses that are not trained to make diagnoses and that are not allowed to prescribe medication. As a result, only the symptoms experienced by patients can be treated and all too often the underlying disease is never identified and treated.
Clinics treat patients at face value and have no access to their medical histories. This, critics say, is a major drawback of the system. If the person tending to the patient does not know his medical history he cannot know whether the patient is allergic for anything, whether he abuses substances or what illnesses he suffered from before. In those circumstances it is all too easy to make mistakes that can be detrimental.
It is lamentable that so many people have to suffer from diseases and injuries simply because they cannot pay the high fees demanded by doctors, specialists and hospitals. Clinics at least try to help and in many cases they make a real difference in the lives of their patients. Hopefully access to decent medical care will become a higher priority with the authorities.
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For those who are seeking a walk in physician clinic Annandale VA is the right place to find this service. Take a quick look at the main page here at http://www.annandalewalkinclinic.com.
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