When it comes to your health, you can never be too careful, but knowing which medical professional to see and when can be a little bit tricky. Many people get confused by what the differences between a general practitioner, medical centre and hospital truly are. If you aren't sure where to go but do have a need for medical assistance, then here is a quick outline of when to go to which medical facility. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution, as your health is never something to be risked or taken lightly!
For Emergencies Always Go To A Hospital
When it comes to medical emergencies, always call triple zero (000) first or go directly to a hospital. Hospitals have all of the best equipment for life-saving care, and they also have the most resources to ensure that you get whatever treatment you need immediately. They also generally have a lot more staff on-call (already in the building) and people trained in emergency care. If you ever think you might be in a life-threatening condition, then do not risk going anywhere but the hospital. The staff at a general practitioners office or medical centre will tell you the exact same thing.
Medical Centres Are Best For Day-To-Day Care
A medical centre is a collection of different medical professionals, from general practitioners to radiologists and so on, who all work in the same building. If your GP thinks you need a scan or a blood test, they can order it immediately from a different person in the same building, saving you a lot of time. For most of your day-to-day medical needs and check-ups, you should visit a walk-in medical clinic. You will be treated faster than if you visit a hospital, and you get a lot more options for care than if you purely visited a stand-alone GP.
What Other Services Are Located In A Medical Centre?
There is no rule about what services can be found in a medical centre. Some offer everything from physical therapy to chemotherapy, while others are more streamlined and may only have a couple of GP's and a few X-ray technicians. The easiest way to check is to simply search for your local medical centre and see what they offer. Most medical centres also offer great bulk billing benefits which help families a lot. If you don't need immediate medical assistance then you should generally go to a medical centre, as it will be cheaper and more efficient.
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