It is one of the dark secrets of today's hospital environment. Staff infections that can kill and cripple and every day people who enter hospitals all over the globe for minor treatments are contracting them. Hospitals do their best to control them but the fact remains and that is that they can never be completely eliminated.

The risk of Infection

Also, one more alarming fact about staff infections is that as time passes they are becoming more resistant to treatment with antibiotics. What this means is that anyone with an open wound in a hospital today is at risk of contracting a fast moving infection that quite literally can't be stopped.

Flesh Eating Bacteria

Of them all, what is commonly referred to as "flesh eating bacteria" is possibly the most dreaded. Once it is contracted it moves so quickly that a hole the size of an orange can be eaten into a persons body in less than a day.

One New Option

One option that an increasing number of people in need of minor emergency care are taking to avoid contact with these new forms of staff infection is to seek care at local urgent care centers in their community. So what makes these local clinic so different with regards to staff infection rates?

Far Less Risk

Its quite simple. They are much smaller and don't keep patients overnight. In short what this means is that the chances of there being a person infected with one of these transmissible forms of infection being housed at one of the local clinics is nill.

All Hospitals in the US and Canada

Also their smaller size makes them more able to deal with these types of sterility issues. The fact, is that every hospital in the US and Canada has these types of viruses lurking in them and to close them down completely to attempt to completely eradicate them is just not an option.



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For generations people have relied on their local hospital for urgent care in the event of an emergency and this system worked great. However; in recent years a new trend in urgent care has emerged and that is local urgent care centers that are now springing up in communities across the US.

Some Considerations to Be Taken Into Account

So whats the deal? Is an urgent care center a viable option in the event of an emergency or is there any risk involved in going to them. Also there are the cost considerations to take into account. Are they more expensive and will medical insurance pay for services rendered in an urgent care center?

They Tend to Be Less Expensive

Actually, as far as cost is concerned they tend to be less expensive and there is still one other thing to bear in mind with regards to cost. That is that when you visit a hospital emergency room you are charged for the emergency room visit itself, which is a cost that isn't incurred at an urgent care center.

Lower Risk of Staff Infections

Still another one more item that most people don't take into account is the risk of staff infections that comes with a hospital visit. Remember that when you enter a hospital you are sharing quarters with other people who may have any number of communicable diseases and infections.

Specializing in Treating Non Life Threatening Emergencies

So what do urgent care centers treat people for? What they specialize in treating, is non life threatening emergencies. Basic bone fractures, cuts and contusions. People that need to be X-Rayed and stitched up or people who are suffering form things like allergic reactions that can be treated with a shot.

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Over the course of the past few decades one new phrase that has been getting used more often by people in the medical community is the phrase "outpatient clinic". The reason is simple and that is that with the passing of time more and more medical procedures have been developed that don't require a hospital stay.

New Medical Developments

Plastic surgery is one area that has undergone profound changes in this area. Even invasive procedures such as liposuction treatments and face lifts can now be done in as little time as an hour with minimal surgical trauma. The result is that a greater amount of surgery's of this type are now done in outpatient clinics.

The Cost Factor

Cost is another major consideration for many people. This particularly holds true for people who don't have medical insurance or are in need of medical treatments or procedures that their insurance doesn't cover.

Eliminating the Overnight Hospital Stay

By eliminating the cost of overnight stays in a hospital and getting their treatments or procedures done at an outpatient clinic, a substantial savings can be realized. Also, there are many people who just aren't interested in spending any time in a hospital.

Contagious Infections

Then there is the question of staff infections that are a growing concern for many people today before they go into a hospital. Face the facts. While hospitals are clean, they do house people with contagious infections and diseases.

Increasing Popularity

In light of the growing rate that many staff bacteria are becoming resistant to standard antibiotics, it seems that the concerns of these people are legitimate. So while hospitals do have their place for the treatment of life threatening medical issues, it is expected that the popularity of outpatient clinics will only increase.



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