Teenagers are not always good at giving their parents a lot of notice when they need certain things, which often leaves the parents scurrying around trying to figure out what to do. If your teenager just told you that he or she wants to join a sport and needs a sports physical by tomorrow, you will need to decide quickly how you will get this accomplished. A good solution to this problem is taking your child to a walk in clinic. Here are four benefits this solution offers for your problem.

It Offers A Definite Way To See A Doctor Or Nurse Practitioner

If your teen normally goes to a certain doctor, what are the chances that you will be able to get an appointment with this doctor right now? If the sport starts tomorrow, your teen will not be able to participate if he or she does not get the sports physical completed tonight.

A lot of normal healthcare clinics are only open on certain days of the week, and they have limited hours. If you call in the afternoon for an appointment, you might find out that the clinic is already closed for today. It can be hard to get an appointment with a doctor on the same day, but you can always see a doctor or a nurse practitioner at a walk-in clinic. The best part is you do not need an appointment, and doctors and nurse practitioners are both qualified to perform sports physicals.

You Can Get It Fast

If you have never visited a walk-in clinic, you may be picturing an emergency room in your mind. If so, you should realize that walk-in clinics are not emergency rooms. In fact, they are very different. While you probably can get a sports physical completed at an emergency room, it could take a very long time, and it could be extremely costly.

On the other hand, visiting a walk-in clinic offers a fast and affordable way to get a sports physical completed. The average wait time for a walk-in clinic is only around 15 minutes, and the clinic is likely to accept almost any type of health insurance.

One thing you should look into is the hours of operation for the walk-in clinic. Most of these clinics are open from 8 am to 8 pm, but this varies. If you do not get there in time, you may not be able to see a doctor.

Some Clinics Offer Specials On Sports Physicals

There is also a chance that you might be able to save money on the sports physical by visiting a walk-in clinic. A lot of clinics offer specials on sports physicals, and these are often available during the weeks prior to school starting. If the walk-in clinic near your home offers specials, you might be able to get the physical completed for a price cheaper than the amount your regular doctor would have charged.

These clinics offer specials for a number of reasons, including:

• It helps draw in new customers.
• It may help people without health insurance afford these physicals, which would allow more children to take part in sporting activities.
• There is a large demand for sports physicals when school starts each fall.

They Can Provide You With The Form

While most schools hand out physical forms to the students, your teen may not have received one, or he or she may have lost the form. If this happens, you can simply ask the clinic for a form. Even though it may not be the exact form the school handed out, it will still work.

All sports physical forms are approximately the same, and your teen's school will accept any physical form that was completed and signed by a doctor or nurse practitioner.

If your teenage child needs a sports physical today or within a few weeks, going to a walk-in clinic is a great way to get this done. To learn more, contact a walk-in clinic in your area.