When your down with a minor illness and injury, it isn’t always convenient to see your regular doctor or find care after hours or on the weekends. Indigo Urgent Care, like the thousands of urgent care center across the U.S., provides easy access to friendly, quality care when your primary care physician’s office is booked or closed.
But misconceptions about urgent care might leave you wondering if an urgent care clinic is right for you.
Don’t miss out on the benefits of fast, convenient and quality care. Here are a few common myths about urgent care — and the facts to set the record straight.
Myth #1: Urgent care doesn’t provide quality medical care.
Fact: You’ll find the same caliber of care as you would when you see your regular physician.
Every urgent care clinic has doctors, nurses and medical specialists who have the same training as clinical staff in hospitals and family practices. There are an estimated 20,000 physicians practicing urgent care medicine today.
Rest assured, when you visit any Indigo Health location, you or your little ones are being treated by highly skilled and educated health care professionals.
Myth #2: Urgent care is only open after-hours.
Fact: Urgent care clinics are typically open during traditional office hours, as well as evenings and weekends.
When it’s not convenient or possible to see your regular doctor, urgent care is here to provide the care you need for your minor illnesses and injuries.
Indigo is open 8 am to 8 pm every day, even holidays and weekends. And Indigo Online Care makes it even easier to get care from the comfort of your favorite device — no doctor’s office required.
Myth #3: Urgent care clinics are closed on holidays.
Fact: Most urgent care centers are typically open during the holidays when other medical offices may be closed.
At Indigo, when we say we’re here every day, we mean every day. Illnesses and injuries don’t take a holiday. Why would we?
Myth #4: Urgent care is expensive.
Fact: In most cases, a visit to urgent care will cost the same as a visit to your doctor.
When you visit an urgent care center, you can expect to pay a regular office-visit co-pay if you have insurance.
Indigo Urgent Care accepts most insurance plans. If you don’t have insurance, Indigo charges a flat fee of $250. This covers:
- An exam evaluation with a medical provider
- In-clinic lab testing for strep throat, flu tests, UTI and pregnancy (immediate-result tests only)
- X-rays
- Medication given during the visit
Urgent care is a far more affordable option that a visit to the ER for a non-critical medical visit. On average, the cost of an emergency visit is around $1,233.
Myth #5: Urgent care and emergency care are the same thing.
Fact: Urgent care is not emergency care.
Urgent care centers are equipped to handle most minor illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening, such as colds and flu, strep throat, sprains and strains, minor fractures and more.
Emergency rooms specialize in providing care for life-threatening conditions such as severe injuries or bleeding, heart attacks, strokes or difficulty breathing.
Find out what we treat at Indigo.
Myth #6: It’s too difficult to find an urgent care clinic near me.
Fact: There are nearly 10,000 urgent care clinics in the United States.
According to Becker’s Hospital Review, around 75 percent of urgent care centers are in suburban areas, providing easy access for the majority of Americans.
MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care offers neighborhood walk-in clinics throughout the Puget Sound and Spokane regions. Find a location near you.
Myth #7: Urgent care is a replacement for your regular physician.
Fact: You still need your doctor.
At Indigo Urgent Care, we’re always glad to see you when you need treatment for your minor illness or injury. You should still visit your regular doctor if care isn’t needed urgently. It’s important to get regular physicals and other preventive screenings, and care for chronic, ongoing health issues.
What does Indigo Urgent Care treat?
MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care treats most a wide range of conditions, including:
- Allergies
- Cold and flu symptoms
- Earaches and ear cleaning
- Fevers
- Migraines and headaches
- Minor allergic reaction
- Minor bruising
- Minor burns
- Minor fracture
- Rash or poison ivy
- Scraps or minor cuts
- Skin conditions
- Sore throat
- Sprains and strains
- STIs and STDs
- Urinary tract infections
Learn more about what Indigo treats.
But that’s not all…
Indigo offers additional services that make health care even more convenient for you and your loved ones.
- Indigo Online Care. Indigo Health offers you even more options for care for most common conditions, no appointment required. All you need is a computer, tablet or mobile phone to connect with us.
- Prescription delivery. Skip the wait at the pharmacy. All Indigo locations in Pierce County, Federal Way and Auburn—Lakeland Commons offer prescription delivery to your home or office for just a $10 flat fee.
- On-site X-ray and tests: Indigo offers digital X-ray at all locations (and crutches, if you need them), as well as several on-site lab tests. Get same-day results for flu, strep and COVID-19. We also send out more complex tests to other labs.
- Sports and back to school physicals. Indigo is your first stop for getting your child ready for school, sports or camp.
