Healthcare is expensive and good medical care is not always so easy to find. So, it’s pretty common for many to avoid the hospital and routine appointments with their regular doctor to keep their medical expenses down. With so many urgent care facilities to choose from, knowing what questions to ask when searching for one to call home is important. It’s not enough to wonder or ask if an urgent care in Oxnard accepts your insurance or treats certain injuries or ailments. There are a variety of other equally important things to ask to help you make the best-informed choice about where to go for urgent care.

Check out this list of 10 of the most important things someone should look for when selecting an urgent care center in Oxnard:

1. What services are available?
2. What type of medical providers will I see?
3. What credentials and reputation does the urgent care in Oxnard have?
4. What insurances are accepted?
5. How affordable is treatment?
6. How long will I have to wait to be seen?
7. What are the hours of operation?
8. What are your locations?
9. Do you take walk-ins?
10. Are appointments available?

What services are available?

Urgent cares vary greatly in the medical services they offer to patients. Therefore, it’s a good idea to know the scope and type of services provided before you need them. While there’s nothing wrong with focusing first on the kind of treatments that seem applicable to the type of illnesses, injuries, or medical care you or your family normally need, it’s beneficial to consider a facility that offers more. Inquire to learn what additional medical services are available at your choice of urgent care in Oxnard, such as X-rays, pharmacy, laboratory diagnostics, occupational health, and primary care and seasonal wellness services to ensure your health and medical needs are covered.

What type of medical providers will I see?

Not all urgent cares are the same in terms of medical providers and staff. Some facilities don’t have many board-certified physicians on staff and are managed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Also, there are different kinds of medical professionals besides doctors, such as pediatricians, nurses, occupational health specialists, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and diagnostic and lab technicians. 

These professionals are not always available except during certain times or days of the week. Walk-in patients should be prepared to be seen and treated by any of our medical care providers with the knowledge, experience, and expertise to manage their medical needs.

The best way to ensure you see a specific medical provider, call ahead to learn when they are available, so you know when to stop by our urgent care in Oxnard. 

What credentials and reputation does the urgent care in Oxnard have?

Credentials and reputation are among the biggest clues patients can use to determine the quality of care they’ll receive at any urgent care in Oxnard. Research urgent cares in Oxnard before you need medical care to verify accreditation and credential information. Urgent care centers must provide the highest quality of medical services and care, pass rigorous scrutiny by the accrediting board, and adhere to strictest infection control and safety standards to receive certification and accreditation from the Joint Commission. Visit the Urgent Care Association of America online to check out Solar Urgent Care’s accredited member status.

Check out patient reviews to gain insight into others’ experiences at our urgent care centers. Dig into the facility’s history and reputation to learn if it has a solid reputation for medical care excellence within its local community and the surrounding areas.

What insurances are accepted?

It’s common for people to avoid medical care because of insurance and cost concerns. Not everyone has quality health insurance or out of network coverage for urgent care. If you have insurance, contact the clinic ahead of time to verify coverage for urgent care services. Keep in mind that having insurance doesn’t mean not to expect any out-of-pocket expenses.

If insurance is not an option, it’s okay. Solar Urgent Care offers low-cost, affordable urgent care treatment and walk-in medical services for all. We accept most health insurances and offer flexible payment terms for cash pay patients.

What do I need to bring with me?

It’s not necessary to bring a copy of your medical record to the urgent care. We can access your medical record electronically and request information from other medical providers and facilities if necessary. Patients must provide consent of course. But, if you want to speed up the process and receive the best possible care, it helps to plan. Bring your current identification, health insurance cards, authorization forms, sports physical or medical work forms, and a list of medications taken with you for your visit.

How long will I have to wait to be seen?

Although every reasonable effort is made to ensure patients are seen and treated in the most efficient manner possible without sacrificing the quality of their care, some times of the day are busier than others. We encourage you to call ahead to inquire about wait times, so you have a realistic idea of when it’s the most suitable time for you to stop by our urgent care in Oxnard.

What are the hours of operation?

We know that medical concerns often occur in the evenings, middle of the night, wee hours of the morning and even on the weekends. Not all urgent cares have the same hours of operation. Yet some of them are open during the evenings and weekends and by appointment. That’s why we encourage you to shop around for urgent care in Oxnard that best accommodates your schedule. Visit our website to check out our hours of operations.

What are your locations?

Location is something to consider wisely. Ideally, you should choose an urgent care that has easily accessible locations that are conveniently near the places you frequent the most. Solar Urgent Care has a location in Oxnard to help you get the medical treatment you need without delays.

Do you take walk-ins?

Yes, welcome walk-ins with open arms. Solar Urgent Care’s hours of operation are Monday thru Friday, 9am to 7pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm. We are closed on Sundays. 

Are appointments available?

No, unfortunately, at this time our urgent care in Oxnard does not accept patient appointments. But that may change in the future.

Key Takeaways

Urgent cares are an excellent resource for pressing, non-emergency medical needs, diagnostics, and services for the entire family. Not only do they offer the same caliber care as top-notch hospitals and large medical facilities, but they also save patients in need of quick and affordable medical care time, stress, money, and more. 

For high quality patient-centered care and medical services in a state-of-the-art clinic when and where you need it, visit Solar Urgent Care in Oxnard. You can also call at (805) 988-9000.