When Doctors Are Too Busy In Summer: How To Get Medical Needs Met

Health & Medical Blog

Summer is a very busy time for pediatricians and family doctors. Kids are out of school, and they need camp and sports physicals. Then some of them need medical attention because they were hurt at camp or while playing sports. When your own doctors are much too busy, how can you possibly handle all of this? Here is how you can get seasonal medical needs met.

Walk-in Clinics

Last minute camp and sports physicals are no problem for the doctors and NPs that work in these clinics. They are open later and longer than most doctors' offices, and they can do all of the same things that doctors' offices do. They also act as urgent care clinics when your kids break legs in soccer or rip tendons in their shoulders during softball. The walk-in clinics take all kinds of insurance, too, in case a walk-in clinic within your insurance group is unable to attend to your needs because the clinic is packed to the walls.

Pharmacies Offering Camp Physicals

Funny as it sounds, some national retail pharmacy chains offer free or reduced cost summer physicals. You pay less than $50 for a physical, and a clinician completes the physical no questions asked. Sometimes there is a clinic inside the pharmacy/retail store where NPs staff it and keep irregular hours. Sometimes it is just a privately-contracted medical professional that provides this service on an annual basis via the pharmacy/retail chains.

Urgent Care Clinics

If you have a kid with a summertime injury, urgent care clinics exist to treat urgent, non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses. Their focus is to reduce the number of bodies stuck in emergency room lobbies and still provide care for those that cannot get in to see their own doctors because of fully-booked schedules. If you cannot go to a walk-in clinic because they are closed or full and very busy, and you need more than a camp physical, try an urgent care clinic.

Book in Advance

While you cannot be prepared for injuries by booking way in advance, you can be prepared for everything else. As such, and if your insurance allows, book physicals and health screenings about two months prior to the start of summer. When your kids' summer activities are right at the beginning of summer, then book three months in advance to avoid last-minute scrambles to complete camp or sports paperwork. If your children see a specialist for anything, book four- to six months in advance.

For more information, contact a medical office like West Ocean City Injury & Illness Center.

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