Medical Clinics - The Differences Among Clinics

If you thought that all medical clinics are the same except for their facilities, you're wrong. There are different types of medical clinics offering varying services based on the needs of the patients. Medical clinics in general offer a wide range of medical services on an outpatient basis. Some clinics provide in-patient services. These are mostly based in rural areas where larger hospitals are unavailable. Apart from the classification of medical clinics into private and public clinics, medical clinics are also grouped into various other classes.

For those receiving low income and looking for low cost health care, free medical clinics may be the perfect solution for you. These clinics are registered under the National Association of Free Clinics. The services offered include dental, medical and other specialist medical services. The services are offered on a voluntary basis. Therefore medical doctors and other health care workers are either paid by charitable associations, the government or offer their services on a voluntary basis when they are able to. These organizations are tax-exempt and are expected to offer health services to all people regardless of the payment offered. These clinics may not offer services for developing problems but are able to handle acute, chronic and primary health care. Most of these clinics have onsite pharmacies.

General outpatient clinics are medical clinics that offer a wide range of services on an outpatient basis. The doctors working in these clinics are from various medical specialties. These medical clinics are usually based in rural communities. They normally offer services that include the diagnosis and treatment of general conditions. These clinics offer ongoing care to patients but will require that you have an insurance plan for payment of health services.

Convenient care clinics are a cheaper option to the doctor's office. Staffed with nurse practitioners, these medical clinics offer a narrow range of treatment services. Common illnesses treated at these clinics include infections and common colds. These treatment facilities are commonly located in supermarkets, pharmacies and merchandising outlets. The clinics are retail based clinics offering general medical services for common ailments.

Many medical conditions are treatable in hospitals and other general clinics. However, there are some cases that require specialist treatment that may not be provided at a particular hospital or may be more accessible outside the hospital. Specialist medical clinics offer specific treatment services. These clinics often focus on a specific part of the body. These clinics are beneficial for those looking for a specific type of treatment. These clinics offer services for both the diagnosis as well as the treatment of the ailment.

The payment options for specialist clinics differ. This is because it is dependent on the system in place in the individual clinic. However, most specialist clinics will require you to have an insurance policy to cover the costs of treatment. If your insurance happens to be workman's compensation, then your research will be confined to one of these clinics. Among these specialist medical clinics are those that accept third party insurance such as auto insurance and personal injury insurance that treats car accident and slip and fall victims respectively.