A medical clinic is a healthcare facility focused on the provision of primary healthcare, general healthcare treatments, and urgent care for outpatients. This means that if you visit the facility, you will be able to go home after treatment as opposed to having to be hospitalised.
In this article, we explain the healthcare services offered at a typical medical clinic and where to find relevant medical facilities near you.
Centre Ownership
The healthcare facility can be government, public, or privately owned. The government centres focus on the provision of primary healthcare and family planning services. A privately owned one often offers more advanced care services as well.
When Will You Visit a Medical Clinic?
You can visit the facility for routine health check-ups, screenings, vaccinations, and expert advice from health professionals. Most often, you will visit the facility if you are sick, injured, or need preventative care.
What Makes the Healthcare Service so Convenient?
Several health professionals offer their services at a central well-equipped facility. You can visit a general practitioner, the dentist, dietician, and even a specialist at the same facility. Should you need to have X-rays taken or blood tests performed, these can be done at the centre. The institute has a central reception and administration while the different health professionals may also have their own supportive staff.
You do not have to go from one facility to another for treatments or tests. It saves travel time and enables you to schedule an appointment with another health professional at the same centre should your particular general practitioner, dentist, or specialist not be able to see you right away.
In addition, you can expect an overarching structure and standard of care. Billing is done in a particular way. Patient record keeping is standardised, and advanced equipment is available to the health professionals offering their services at the medical clinic.
The brand reputation is closely associated with the standard of care offered by the healthcare professionals, the level of customer service, and compliance with ethical codes of conduct. If you make use of a reputable healthcare brand, then you have the assurance of quality care.
Types of healthcare professionals at a privately owned medical clinic include:
Types of Healthcare Specialists
Several types of healthcare specialists offer their services at the advanced private medical clinics, including:
Types of Care Offered
Depending on the particular facility, you can expect services ranging from walk-in and routine care to wellness, chronic care, and specialist services.
Routine Care
Medical check-ups, screenings, general healthcare advice and treatments, chronic disease treatments, and care for acute conditions form part of routine care services.
Walk-In Care
With this type of service offering, the centre allows for immediate treatments without a scheduled appointment. This service is for conditions requiring immediate care, which are not life-threatening or require emergency intervention like the services offered at a hospital emergency room. You will make use of this service offering if you cannot get an immediate appointment with your doctor but require timely treatment of the condition.
Conditions include:
Chronic Care
Proper management of a chronic condition is essential for optimal life quality and to minimise the risk of the condition becoming life-threatening. Millions of people suffer from chronic conditions. These are medical conditions which are ongoing and require regular check-ups, professional support, and treatments. Examples include diabetes and asthma, to name only two.
Wellness
The total health profile of the individual affects their ability to enjoy life. This includes physical and mental health. To support and improve individual wellness, medical clinics offer services, such as screenings and vaccinations. Individuals who want to travel often have to get specific vaccinations. Businesses may require new employees to undergo health screenings. Individuals who want to get life insurance policies may need to undergo full health assessments. All these services are available as part of the wellness programmes offered at these clinics.
Virtual Consultations
Although a physical examination is best, there are times when you may not be able to travel to the medical clinic. In these instances, you will still be able to get the expert healthcare advice and consultation. This service is especially useful during lockdown periods associated with a pandemic, for disabled people, and for senior citizens who cannot get to the centre, in addition to patients suffering from chronic conditions, requiring supportive care.
Information to Have Ready with Your First Visit
You will be asked to provide information about your health history. This information, like any other patient information, is treated as confidential. Other information to have ready:
Once the information has been captured on the system, you will not need to provide all these again, unless you move or details provided earlier have changed.
All the Services at One Place
Modern-day schedules are hectic. People no longer have the time to travel from one healthcare provider to another. They want all the necessary services under one roof. This is made possible with Intercare medical clinics across South Africa. You can now access a range of healthcare services at well-equipped and professionally staffed medical clinics for routine, walk-in, wellness, and urgent care.
Where to Find a Medical Clinic Near You
Use our Find facility to locate an Intercare facility near you that offers the services you require. We also offer a convenient online booking system to schedule an appointment at the healthcare professional of choice. The central booking service is available 24/7.