What is a walk-in clinic?

A walk-in clinic is any medical facility that accepts patients on a walk-in basis with no appointment required. Here are some examples:

• Urgent care clinics
• Primary care offices
• Retail clinics
• Free community clinics

When should I go to a walk-in clinic?

You can go to walk-in clinic for the same health problems you normally see your primary care doctor for, when they aren t available.

A walk-in clinic is an intermediate medical facility between a regular doctor s office and an emergency room (ER) for problems that require prompt care but don t constitute true emergencies.

Here are some examples of symptoms that are considered appropriate for evaluation at walk-in clinics:

Does a walk-in clinic cost less than an urgent care clinic?

A walk-in clinic costs at least 40% less than an urgent care clinic. A walk-in clinic is considered a more affordable option than urgent care clinics and emergency rooms. This is important for both self-pay and insured patients.

And it s is especially important for insured people with a high deductible.

• The deductible is the amount the patient must pay before insurance kicks in.
• The deductible amount will be billed to you as an additional charge after your doctor visit.
  The deductible amount is different for different facilities and depends on the code used.

Health insurance companies code and pay for the same type of visit (based on complexity) differently for an urgent care clinic than for a walk-in clinic. The charge by an urgent care clinic is 40% (at small facilities) to 120% (bigger facilities negotiate higher reimbursements) higher than at walk-in clinics. Emergency rooms charge even more.

Unlike for urgent care clinics, the billing codes for walk-in clinics are the same as for primary care physician offices the lowest possible.

This means that if you have a high-deductible plan, it is most affordable to be seen at a walk-in clinic rather than an urgent care clinic or emergency room. If you re not sure about your plan payment policy, your best bet is to go a walk-in clinic.

How is Walk-in Clinic NY different from other walk-in and urgent care clinics?

All patients are seen by a board-certified doctor

Walk-in clinics are criticized for providing low-quality care compared to emergency rooms. This happens because most walk-in clinics are staffed and run solely by mid-level practitioners: nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). NPs and PAs get significantly less training than doctors, and that can affect quality of care.

However, at Walk-in Clinic NY, all patients are seen by a board-certified internal medicine physician who has been in practice for 20 years.

Convenient location on the east side of Manhattan

• Walk-in Clinic NY is conveniently located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan on Madison Avenue between 39th and 40th Streets.
• It is easily accessible by train (one block away from Grand Central Train Station) and other public transportation.
• It is a block away from the main branch of the New York Public Library, Bryant Park, and Morgan Library Museum.

Evening and weekend hours

Unlike most walk-in clinics (but similar to urgent care clinics), Walk-in Clinic NY offers extended evening and weekend hours.

• Walk-in Clinic NY stays open till 7 pm on weekdays
• Walk-in Clinic NY offers Saturday hours

Do you prescribe antibiotics at Walk-in Clinic NY?

Yes, a variety of antibiotics are frequently prescribed by our doctor after evaluation and testing if they are necessary.

• Evaluation consists of obtaining information from the patient (what we call taking a history ) and physical examination
• X-ray, blood, urine, and/or swab testing might be necessary to confirm the suspected diagnosis

Can I get a doctor s off-work/out-of-school note (medical excuse letter)?

This is one of the most common questions asked, so we ll explain in detail how and when a doctor s note is given at our clinic.

Can I get a refill on my medication?

Yes, we can prescribe the medication you take for various medical issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, thyroid conditions, and others. A refill can be given for a week, a month, or longer.

The only exception is controlled-substance medication. Please refer to that section for more information.

Controlled-substance medication FAQs

What is a controlled substance?

Some categories of medications are recognized as addictive with a high potential for abuse and are regulated by the Control Substance Act of 1970. They are called controlled substances.

Here are some controlled substances:

Do you prescribe controlled substances at Walk-in Clinic NY?

Yes, our doctor can prescribe any needed controlled substance.

How is a decision made regarding a controlled-substance prescription?

Our doctor carefully evaluates (via history and physical exam) each patient when a controlled-substance medication is requested.

Here are some examples of when we may prescribe a controlled substance:

• Recent fall with fracture or bruising (confirmed by physical exam or X ray)
• Sciatica pain confirmed by physical exam or MRI
• Death in the family (legal proof needed)

Can a patient request a prescription for a controlled substance?

We do not prescribe controlled substances based on a patient s request. We are not legally allowed to do so.

A controlled substance cannot be prescribed:

• If it helped in the past, and for that reason the patient is asking for it again
• If it was prescribed for years by another provider in another state or country

We prescribe controlled substances based only on medical necessity after careful evaluation based on the patient s history and physical examination.

What if the patient needs a controlled substance long-term?

Some patients need to be on a controlled substance for a prolonged time. A controlled substance can be prescribed long-term in such cases, but certain rules should be and are followed:

If a long-term controlled-substance prescription is needed, a specialist may need to be contacted:

• A psychiatrist for a stimulant (e.g., Adderall or Vyvanse) or a medication in the benzodiazepine group (e.g., Xanax or Klonopin)
• A pain specialist or neurologist for chronic pain

We do not have a psychiatrist or pain specialist at Walk-in Clinic NY.