Where to get medical care in Philly, next to the doctor’s office

If you need medical care, you have more options than a traditional doctor’s appointment.

Can’t wait for the next opening in your document’s agenda? Do not to have a GP? (Eighteen percent of us don’t, according to a 2018 city survey.) Here’s a look at the places you can go for medical care when you need it.

Phone and websites

The gossip: Maybe, just maybe, not need that appointment, and a portal message or phone call to the office is sufficient. You can also call the state’s toll-free 24/7 nurse line if you have medical questions: 1-833-510-4727.
Examples: Nemours Children’s Health has a free symptom checker on its website that provides detailed guidance for common conditions, including whether a visit is necessary; many practitioners provide similar assistance through portal messages.
Good for: If you’re not sure if you need a doctor or what level of care you need: urgent care? Specialist? First aid? Also useful if you suspect that you could arrange something at home… if only you knew how.
Not good for: Sometimes the doctor just needs to see you to help you.
Payment: Free. Some healthcare systems/practices around the country are now charging for portal messaging, but so far that hasn’t been widely adopted in Philly.

Emergency aid

The gossip: A walk-in friendly model for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries, without the hassle or expense of an emergency room visit. Most offer appointment times in addition to walk-in times. Often open outside regular doctor’s office hours.
Examples: Vybe, myDoc, AFC. The major health care systems (Temple, CHOP, Christiana, Penn, Jeff, Main Line Health, Nemours, Cooper, etc.) also offer urgent care centers; ditto Rothman Orthopedics.
Good for: Acute illnesses (e.g., mild allergic reactions, infections, congestion, food poisoning, pink eye), minor injuries (e.g., bites, sprains, minor fractures or dislocations, minor burns and wound care), laboratory tests, screenings and x-rays, physical therapy, vaccinations.
Not good for: Life-threatening injuries or illnesses (e.g., serious head injury, heart attack, stroke); procedures that require anesthesia or surgery.
Payment: Most insurance policies cover emergency care. Contact your insurance company to see who is in your network. Some centers list prices on their sites for “self-paid” visits for the uninsured.

Planning Problems / Illustration by James W. Yates

Convenience clinics

The gossip: A walk-in model similar to urgent care, but with more limited services and slightly lower out-of-pocket costs. Often shorter waiting times than emergency care and staffed by nurses and physician assistants. Sometimes there are also virtual options.
Examples: In some states, you can find convenience clinics in Target, Walmart, some grocers and drugstores. In Greater Philly, we usually only talk about CVS Minute Clinics.
Good for: Treating minor illnesses such as ear and sinus infections, flu, colds, urinary tract infections and streptococci; minor wounds and injuries such as blisters, sprains, back pain (but not serious cuts); vaccinations and STD screenings.
Not good for: More serious injuries or illnesses; anything that requires stitches, CT scans or x-rays.
Payment: Covered by some insurance – check with yours. The uninsured pay out of their own pocket; the CVS website lists prices.

Clinics and health centers

The gossip: Several dozen free and low-cost health centers in the city offer a range of services (e.g., primary care, basic dentistry, optometry, podiatry, behavioral health). Find a comprehensive guide to all these issues at phila.gov/primary-care.
Examples: The nine city-run health centers, Esperanza Health Center, Puentes de Salud, Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity, Wyss Wellness Center. To name a few.
Good for: Free or low-cost primary care – including preventive care, screenings, managing chronic conditions, medical consultations, diagnosing and treating illnesses and minor injuries – plus often pediatrics, obstetrical services and behavioral health care.
Not good for: Not all clinics are easy to reach; some, not all, have problematic wait times. Services vary by clinic. Check the site and/or call before you go.
Payment: Most clinics accept most insurance policies (check websites or call) and offer lower rates and sliding scale payments for uninsured patients.

The pharmacy

The gossip: Great for advice on solutions to small problems, for example dealing with pain, what things can help your coughing toddler, how to find relief from symptoms when you’re feeling down. Your local pharmacist cannot prescribe anything for you, but can tell you what to buy over-the-counter.
Examples: Too many to mention. (Try the neighborhood options that are locally owned.)
Good for: OTC recommendations and guidance; prescription education; vaccinations (sometimes); insights into dealing with side effects of medications or tips for dealing with chronic conditions such as diabetes or pain.
Not good for: Diagnosing or evaluating patients, prescribing medications or administering exams.
Payment: Free! No personal contribution is required here.

Video and telemedicine

The gossip: If you have an Internet connection and a device with video/audio capability, you can view a document. Most providers (including specialists) now offer some form of telemedical care, some even during traditionally ‘off’ hours.
Examples: When we talk about providers offering services to non-established patients – And offer urgent care/on-demand services – some include Jefferson’s JeffConnect, Penn Med OnDemand (PMOD), Teladoc, Vybe, Nemours, Main Line Health.
Good for: Consultations, diagnoses and treatment for… well, more than you might think, including lice, rashes, vomiting, sinus infections, flu, strep, urinary tract infections, ear infections, pink eye, bronchitis and more. And again, many specialists also offer telemedicine visits.
Not good for: Emergencies (e.g., excessive bleeding or severe cuts); change in mental status; pressure in the chest; screenings, laboratories or scans.
Payment: Coverage and prices vary. Check the providers’ websites. Teladoc, for example, starts at $75 per visit without insurance. PMOD self-paid visits range from $70 to $395; JeffConnect costs $59 for an on-demand call.

The First Aid

The gossip: The last resort. Due to the costs and long wait times – in Philly, the Researcher It has recently been reported that emergency room visits typically take almost an hour longer than the national average. You don’t want to go to the emergency room unless your condition requires it.
Examples: The Philly region has 36 hospitals that provide emergency care.
Good for: Technically they can treat almost anything, but the ER is best used for – yes – emergencies (e.g. severe burns, chest pressure, serious injuries/accidents/fractures, extremely high fever that doesn’t get better with medication, allergic responses).
Not good for: Cheap treatment, care for chronic conditions.
Payment: The average ER cost for the uninsured in Pennsylvania is $1,645. The costs for the insured vary per coverage.

Published as “The Doctor Won’t See You Now” in the May 2024 issue Philadelphia magazine.