When unexpected injury or illness happens, waiting for an appointment with your primary care doctor is not always an option. Whether you’re dealing with a sprained ankle, flu-like symptoms, an earache, or other non-life-threatening concerns, you need timely care.
While emergency rooms are available 24/7 for serious conditions, they can be a costly and time-consuming choice for less urgent health issues. Urgent care centers also may mean a long wait time and extra expense. But walk-in clinics in Collier County can provide that timely care that is more convenient and less expensive than a visit to the emergency room or urgent care.
Locally, Healthcare Network offers Convenient Care walk-in clinics, which provide same-day appointments for minor health concerns. In addition, Healthcare Network recently launched a pilot clinic at Manatee Middle School for students.
The walk-in clinics are staffed by board-certified doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who offer same-day care, for infants to the elderly, to treat common illnesses and minor injuries.
Faster and less expensive
Hospital emergency departments are equipped to manage complex or critical needs, including life-threatening situations, ranging from a heart attack to traumatic injuries from a car accident.
Accordingly, wait times in emergency rooms are based on severity of the medical problems, so less critical cases are expected to wait for treatment, sometimes for hours. In fact, some insurance plans charge an additional co-pay for emergency room visits that are not considered true medical emergencies.
Urgent care centers are often larger and offer more services than walk-in clinics and treat more serious conditions. Urgent care clinics can offer services like x-rays and CAT scans and can treat conditions like fractures, sprains, burns, and pneumonia.
Walk-in clinics help fill a gap for minor illnesses or injuries when you cannot wait for an appointment with your family doctor. They are designed to quickly address medical issues that are not considered emergencies, allowing emergency departments to focus on more serious medical cases.
In Naples and Immokalee, Healthcare Network’s Convenient Care, which functions as a walk-in clinic, addresses minor illnesses and provide health care services such as:
- Ear infections
- Colds or coughs
- Flu or flu-like symptoms
- Minor burns or rashes
- Minor allergic reactions
- Minor orthopedic injuries
- Flu shots
- School physicals
- Blood pressure checks
Making care convenient
At Manatee Middle School in Naples, Health Care Network has opened a school-based clinic to provide well-being exams and medical attention for students when they are sick, with parental permission.
The clinic, funded by the Naples Children & Education Foundation, founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, was selected based on lack of access to and distance from medical services for families. The Collier County School District is providing the space for the clinic, but no funding or personnel.
The pilot program will be evaluated for the potential addition of clinics at other CCPS schools.
Research shows that school-based clinics in low-income areas help improve health and academic performance. School clinics help lower absentee rates and can lessen the need for parents to take time off work for a child’s doctor visits.
“The school-based clinic at Manatee Middle School is going to be a game changer for many families,” said Jamie Ulmer, president and CEO of Healthcare Network. “We are committed to meeting the healthcare needs of our community through our Convenient Care and school-based clinics, ensuring that patients can receive the care they need when they need it most.”
Convenient Care Locations
Nichols Community Health Center, 12655 Collier Blvd., Naples
Monday to Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (extended after-hours Wednesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
Veterans Park Health Center, 1845 Veterans Park Dr., Naples
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
FSU College of Medicine, 1441 Heritage Blvd., Immokalee
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information, visit Healthcareswfl.org or call 239-658-3000.
Lawrence Egger, PA, is a NCCPA-certified PA with Healthcare Network. Egger is passionate about breaking barriers to health access and has been practicing since 1991.