A Thorough Examination of Medical Clinics

Real Simple gives walk-in health clinics, now popping up everywhere, a checkup.

At a 24-Hour Clinic

Who's on call: An M.D.

Services offered: Treatment for conditions such as fevers and minor cuts that require stitches.

The details: Sickness doesn’t always happen between 8 and 5, and walk-in multispecialty clinics with extended hours have become less costly alternatives to an emergency-room visit for both minor and urgent problems. In general, you’ll see a doctor within 30 minutes (not so in most ERs), and there might even be specialists on staff, from a pediatrician to an allergist. You’ll find these clinics everywhere, from small towns to big cities. In New York City, for example, the Beth Israel Medical Group opened a stand-alone facility in a neighborhood with an especially busy nightlife. In Overland Park, Kansas, the Children’s Mercy South Urgent Care Center of Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics is staffed by a team of pediatricians and pediatric nurses. And 24 Hour Urgent Care, in Temecula, California, employs an orthopedic surgeon for walk-in consultations. To locate a clinic near you, go to wheretofindcare.com or concentra.com.

Cost: Up to $150 for a visit. Some locations accept insurance.