There's a place between needing emergency care and waiting to see your doctor for a check-up. It's usually when you have a cold, the flu, or sinus infection and need to get medication to help get rid of the symptoms. However, paying for an urgent care visit can be cost-prohibitive, so it's not uncommon for individuals to try to ride out the symptoms. At Weekend Whitecoat, we understand there are alternative options to going to an urgent care in Baltimore, MD for common ailments. Read more below to learn about some of the options you have when seeking medical care.

Retail health clinic

Retail health clinics are starting to become more common in communities across the country. You can find them in retail stores or a pharmacy staffed with doctors, nurses, physician's assistants, and pharmacists who work together to provide care to walk-in patients. You don't need to have an existing doctor-patient relationship to see any of the providers at the clinic, nor is an appointment required.

The downside of a retail clinic is that most patients will likely have to wait sometime before seeing a provider. However, the out-of-pocket cost will be lower than that of an emergency room or urgent care visit. You can get prescription medications needed to take care of an infection or manage the symptoms of a lingering illness.

Walk-in doctor's office

Another alternative to an urgent care clinic is a walk-in doctor's office. Similar to a retail clinic, you don't have to have a previous relationship with the provider running the clinic or an appointment. In contrast, the clinic is self-sustaining and operates independently from any other entity. It can be a private practice or a walk-in clinic operated by a larger health care system.

A walk-in clinic is readily available for patients to visit at their convenience to receive treatment for illness or injury. The clinic is equipped to treat patients for non-emergency ailments.

Concierge doctor

A concierge doctor is an excellent alternative to emergency or urgent care for patients dealing with common illnesses. Rather than taking the time to go to a medical clinic or retail doctor's office, your concierge doctor can perform a house call and come see you at a time that it's convenient. A house call saves you time not only with travel but also with sitting in a waiting room, which is often filled with others who might be more ill than you and putting you at risk of contracting yet another sickness.

If you don't feel you need a house call, your concierge doctor is available via video chat. You can remain in the comfort of your home without putting forth any effort in making space for your doctor to come to see you. If you so choose, you can also continue to go about your day as you wait for your doctor to get on your chat with you.

Sign up today

You can get medical service from a concierge doctor as an alternative to urgent care in Baltimore, MD by signing up with Weekend Whitecoat. We proudly serve our patients with convenient and affordable health care. Learn more by calling 410-999-1742 or sending a message using our online contact form. We can help you sign up for care that's convenient and available when you need it.