There have been many changes in healthcare and how patients obtain treatment over the past few decades. One of the major changes is the increased popularity of urgent care and walk-in facilities where patients can obtain treatment when their doctors are unavailable. However, along with the increased number of these facilities comes an increased number of medical errors resulting in patient injury. This leaves many injured patients wondering if these types of injuries are legally handled the same way other types of preventable medical mistakes are. Our seasoned Virginia Beach medical malpractice lawyers can help answer any questions you have.
What Are Walk-In and Urgent Care Facilities?
In the past, when a person was ill or injured and their doctor was not available, either it was after hours or on weekends, or the doctor had no appointments available, they were often left with no choice but to go to the emergency room of the local hospital for treatment. In many cases, these were not really “emergencies” and patients were often left waiting for hours before they were seen by a physician. This also often created an overburdened emergency room.
That’s where walk-in clinics and urgent care facilities came in. These facilities are equipped to handle non-life-threatening emergencies. Some are open around the clock, while others are only open during regular business hours, with some extended hours during nights and/or weekends.
The Failures of Urgent Care Facilities
Many people who go to urgent care facilities do so because they assume their symptoms are a minor medical problem, such as the flu, heartburn, etc., but they may well be actually experiencing a dangerous medical condition. And because of the “express” mindset of getting patients in and out of these facilities, many of the symptoms of a dangerous condition are overlooked by the medical staff – with dangerous consequences.
All of these facilities have the equipment to check and monitor a patient’s vital signs, but many fail to re-evaluate the patient before sending them home. One study found that 10 percent of patients who were classified as high-risk were still discharged. And 16 percent of patients were sent home without rechecking their vital signs.
While urgent care facilities generally provide convenient and prompt medical services for non-life-threatening conditions, there are some factors that potential patients should consider before visiting one:
- Limited scope of care – Urgent care centers may not handle complex or severe medical emergencies, often referring patients to emergency rooms.
- Quality of care – Due to the rapid turnover and varied staffing, consistency in quality of care can be a concern.
- Wait times – Despite being faster than emergency rooms, wait times can still be significant during peak hours.
- Coordination with primary care – There can be gaps in communicating with a patient’s primary care provider, affecting continuity of care.
- Diagnostic capabilities – Some urgent care centers may lack extensive diagnostic tools or capabilities compared to hospitals.
Call Our Personal Injury Law Firm
If you or a family member suffered an injury because of a medical error or missed diagnosis, contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to discuss what legal recourse you may have against the facility that was responsible. Our Virginia Beach medical malpractice attorneys understand how devastating medical errors like these can be to a family, not only emotionally but also financially. We have successfully represented many clients in obtaining the financial compensation they deserved and will aggressively advocate for you and your family, just like the $1.6 million jury verdict we obtained for one client who suffered a seizure and brain injury after a misdiagnosis.
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