We’ve all been there at one point or another- the wait to be seen at an emergency room can seem like an eternity. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average time that hospital emergency department (ED) patients wait to see a doctor has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade. In reality, in inner city hospitals, this wait can be up to eight hours before being seen by a provider! However, the introduction of urgent care facilities now provides patients an alternative that offers the expertise, but not the long wait.

“I have spent years working as a physician in an ED. My wife and I decided to open an urgent care facility because we saw the opportunity to improve patient care and give service to the community” said Michael Gutman, MD, the medical director of New England Urgent Care.

Dr. Michael Gutman and his wife Yahel Gutman, an ED nurse, opened New England Urgent Care in West Hartford last spring. Theirs is the only urgent care in Hartford County with the Urgent Care Association of America certification for Urgent Care. It’s notable, as very few centers are even capable of achieving this certification as they do not meet the criteria.

At New England Urgent Care, patients receive care from licensed and board certified medical experts. The office is equipped to treat a number of conditions and has various capabilities including on-site X-rays, IV fluids, respiratory treatments, medications, suturing and casting. There are other large differences from an emergency room.

“We are much more service oriented than an ED,” said Dr. Gutman. “Thus we strive to make the patient feel welcome and cared for. “

Such care and service routinely earn New England Urgent Care high marks among its patients.

“I thank New England Urgent Care for the very kind, professional and immediate treatment that we received when I came to the office with my 77-year old father, who had been experiencing severe dizzy spells,” said Pam Hoffman of Burlington. “They took the time and patience to explain everything to our entire family, which is really important when someone is sick. I will tell all my friends about their professionalism and fine treatment.”

Additionally, instead of waiting hours in an ED, the typical patient at New England Urgent Care waits only minutes. The office is open weekends, holidays and until 8pm, Monday through Friday. In addition, unlike the ED, if there is a problem that might take several days to be solved, New England Urgent Care will arrange the outpatient diagnostic tests and ultimately refer to the appropriate specialist, if necessary. They will coordinate with the patients’ primary care physician if they have one so that the care will be ongoing.

Another benefit of opting for urgent care versus an emergency department is the cost. New England Urgent Care accepts almost all insurances except Medicaid or SAGA. For those who do not have insurance or who cannot get the care and service they need from Medicaid providers, New England Urgent Care has extremely low self-pay rates and will work with the patients if they have financial hardship.

It must be noted, an urgent care facility is not the appropriate place for someone suffering from a life-threatening illness such as acute stroke or heart attack.

New England Urgent Care is located at 21 North Main Street, Suite B, West Hartford. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm, Weekends and Holidays 9am-6pm. To learn more visit: www.UrgentCareNewEngland.com