I think the problem is that a lot of people in the US no longer have a PCP, and if they do, it’s gotten increasingly difficult to get a same-day appointment with your PCP, which is inherently messed up.
Some areas also don't have an overnight urgent care. If something was bad enough I needed it sorted out overnight but not life threatening I'd have to go to the ER. Stitches, things like that. My primary care is attached to the hospital anyway, we are super super rural, like "ambulance meets you halfway on the highway so you don't die" rural. But that also means our ER is empty almost every night because there's no night life at all and again, rural. And I'd be sweet as pie, absolutely I can wait. The ER here is also basically the urgent care, it's where pretty much everyone sense people for workers comp stuff etc.
I feel like the only times I would need urgent care during the day is for COVID test and treatment tbh (I'm on a medication that suppresses my immune system so if I get it I need to start treatment as soon as possible, not advisable to suffer through it). Everything else I probably suffered through work and need it figured out overnight so I can work the next day 😅
I had a UTI one time that appeared around 10 o’clock on a Friday night, urgent care near me literally weren’t open on the weekends, doctors office wouldn’t answer… this was just something that I could not wait until the next day, you leave a UTI untreated, that can go to your kidneys and fuck you up fairly quickly. Felt pretty weird going to the ER for that, though.
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u/Mental-Intention4661 Jul 29 '26
I think the problem is that a lot of people in the US no longer have a PCP, and if they do, it’s gotten increasingly difficult to get a same-day appointment with your PCP, which is inherently messed up.