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Urgent Care Awareness Week: November 14-18

November 16, 2011

BUFFALO/ROCHESTER, NY—Urgent care centers around the country are currently marking the third annual Urgent Care Awareness Week, November 14 through 18. Urgent Care by Lifetime Health is the longest standing urgent care provider in the Buffalo and Rochester regions, serving patients in urgent care settings in Buffalo for nearly 30 years and Rochester for more than 20. 

“Urgent care centers have a growing presence – and need – in communities,” says Richard Dudrak II, M.D., medical director of Urgent Care by Lifetime Health. “They reduce a burden on both health care systems and the patients by removing non-critical cases from the emergency departments and decreasing wait time for patients with non-life threatening ailments.”

According to a study published in a November, 2009 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, “The percentage of patients in the ED seen by a physician within the recommended triage time is at its lowest point in at least 10 years.” For the “less urgent patients,” those who could most likely be seen by an urgent care center, the percentage of patients seen within the triage target time declined from 91 to 85 percent.

This year, visits to Urgent Care by Lifetime Health have increased nearly 16 percent in Buffalo and nearly 8 percent in Rochester (compared to 2010).

“While patients may also have a wait in urgent care settings, it is often much shorter, and is a more comfortable and sedate environment than the often crowded, trauma-filled emergency room,” says Dudrak. “We welcome walk-in patients, and also offer the patient an opportunity to call ahead for an appointment, giving them the option of waiting at home until their designated appointment time.”

The providers who staff Urgent Care by Lifetime Health are physicians board-certified in internal, family and pediatric medicine and experienced physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Providers are equipped to administer x-ray services, rapid strep tests, EKG, IV fluids, routine blood work and more.  Prescription drugs orders can be written and filled on-site at most times at the Urgent Care by Lifetime Health locations. 

Urgent Care by Lifetime Health is offered at all four Lifetime Health locations in the Buffalo area. Buffalo area patients may call 716-656-4040 for a same day appointment or walk in. Buffalo Urgent Care hours are posted here.  In Rochester, there are three convenient Urgent Care by Lifetime Health locations.Rochester area individuals may call 585-338-1200 for a same day appointment or walk in. Click on this link to view the Rochester Urgent Care walk in hours.

All major insurances are accepted and copays are generally less than those for emergency rooms. Individuals do not need to be a regular patient of Lifetime Health Medical Group to use Urgent Care by Lifetime Health and a report of the visit is forwarded to the patient’s doctor within 48 hours.

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