At A Walk In Clinic Tampa Patients Can Expect Basic Treatment

By Paul Bell


Developed countries boast extremely advanced medical facilities that are staffed by professionals that can perform miracles. Unfortunately, these facilities and professionals are accessible only to the affluent and those with comprehensive medical insurance. The great majority of people do not have the money to pay for top quality medical care or for the services of renowned specialist. However, at a walk in clinic Tampa patients can at least expect rudimentary medical attention.

More than eleven thousand of these facilities are distributed all over the United states. Most do not charge any fee and some charge only a very small fee. Many municipalities run free clinics. Charities and churches also operate a large number of such facilities. The majority, however, can be found inside pharmacies all over the country. Patients do not make appointments, they simply pitch up.

People without any form of medical insurance should take the trouble to familiarize themselves with the treatment facilities in their areas. Not all facilities offer the same services and one would not want to fall around looking for a treatment facility only when an emergency occurs. The majority of clinics offer only emergency treatment while others, especially those in pharmacies, offer a wider range of treatments.

The treatment offered by these clinics may be limited, but they are heaven sent for numerous poor people that have no alternative. The vast majority of people will have such clinics within walking distance of their homes. As an added advantage, the majority of clinics are open twenty four hours a day. They do not vet patients or ask awkward questions and they never show a patient away.

Critics say that these clinics do not play a significant role in treating disease and injuries. Patients routinely have to wait for long periods before they are helped and it is not possible to make an appointment first. Health workers at these clinics deal with far too many patients each day. This means that they spend the minimum amount of time with each patient and this has a definite impact upon the quality of treatment offered.

Some urgent care facilities have a doctor on duty, but the majority of clinics only have a nursing practitioner tending to patients. The treatment options available to the patient are therefore extremely limited. Nursing practitioners are not trained to make diagnoses and they therefore tend to treat their patients symptomatically. The true underlying problem is therefore never identified and treated. Of course, patients must accept the fact that they cannot be given of prescription medication.

Another major drawback is that these clinics do not keep patient histories. These histories are very important to doctors because they enable them to keep the medical records of the patient in mind when diagnosing a current complaint and to check previous treatment methods for recurring complaints. Without a proper medical history of the patient, the chances of making a mistake is exponentially bigger than when the records are available.

Health problems can have a serious impact on the ability of a person to enjoy life, to earn a living and to make a positive contribution to society. It is sad that so many millions of people are denied proper medical care. Hopefully the day will come when expenditure on medical care will at least equal the vast budgets spent on arms and international relations.




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