Urgent Care and Retail Clinic Comparison

How we compare:

Many consumers are likely to confuse urgent care services with “retail clinics.” Put simply, a retail clinic is a facility located in a big box store, such as a Walmart or a Walgreens, that aims to provide convenient healthcare services. These clinics are designed to provide the most basic preventive care services while you’re out shopping or picking up a prescription.

However, it is important to understand that a retail clinic is not a viable substitute for urgent care. A patient should not seek out a retail clinic for urgent care needs because they don’t provide a lot of critical services for patients. Here is a breakdown of the key differences between urgent care centers and retail clinics:

Urgent Care Centers:

FirstCall Medical Center:

• Provide patients with preventive care screenings, blood pressure monitoring, vaccinations, and other preventive care services.
• Onsite board-certified physicians are located at urgent care centers to provide and guide important healthcare decisions.
• Equipped with lab testing services that can perform STI screenings and blood work
• Able to treat urgent care injuries such as fractures, sprains, and minor bone breaks
• Walk-in clinic available during convenient hours each day
• X-Ray capabilities
• Sport and Camp Physicals

 Retail Clinics:

• Only able to treat a limited amount of urgent care injures
• Usually staffed by a nurse practitioner or a similar professional
• Usually limited in lab and x-ray equipment
• Only open during the retail store’s hours

Whenever you need urgent care make sure to contact FirstCall Medical Center for your needs!

We can be reached at (410) 694-7999 or patients can walk-in without the need for an appointment at these locations below: