How to Choose a Walk-In Clinic in Denver
Six things to check before you walk in anywhere in metro Denver: hours, what's treated on site, who sees you, posted prices, insurance, and whether it's really an ER.
Search for a walk-in clinic in Denver and you'll get urgent care centers, clinics inside pharmacies and grocery stores, and freestanding emergency rooms, often on the same street. They look similar from the parking lot. They are not similar on the bill. Here are six things worth checking before you walk in.
1. Is it urgent care, or an emergency room?
Colorado has many freestanding emergency rooms: buildings that look like an urgent care but are licensed and billed as an ER. That's the right place for a true emergency. For a sore throat or a sprained wrist, it can mean an emergency-room bill for an urgent-care problem. Look for the word "emergency" on the sign and the website, and ask at the front desk if you're not sure.
2. Will it be open when you need it?
A lot of clinics close at 7 or 8 PM, and earlier on weekends. Check the hours for the day you're going, not just the weekday hours. All AfterOurs clinics are open until 11 PM every day, including weekends and holidays.
3. Can they treat your problem on site?
Retail clinics are built for simple problems like a sinus infection or a vaccine. If you might need stitches, a splint, IV fluids, an EKG or an X-ray, you want a full urgent care. For an X-ray in particular, call ahead to make sure one can be done when you arrive. See the services AfterOurs offers.
4. Who will see you?
Ask who staffs the clinic. At AfterOurs, you're seen by board-certified family physicians, nurse practitioners or physician assistants, many with emergency, family medicine or pediatric backgrounds. A good clinic will also tell you plainly when something needs a hospital instead.
5. Are the prices posted?
If you're paying yourself, you should be able to find the price before you go. AfterOurs posts its self-pay prices: in-clinic visits are $175, $250 with one moderate service, and never more than $330, and telehealth visits are $75. See all prices.
6. Do they take your insurance, and what if they don't?
Insurers build narrow networks, and a clinic can be out of network without knowing it. Ask what happens if your plan doesn't cover the visit. At AfterOurs, we bill insurance, with contracts with all major commercial and government plans including Medicare and Colorado Medicaid, and if your plan treats us as out of network or denies the claim, we reduce what you owe to our self-pay rate.
When to skip the walk-in clinic
Call 911 or go to the ER if you have: chest pain or pressure; trouble breathing; signs of a stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech); heavy bleeding that won't stop; a serious head injury or loss of consciousness; a severe allergic reaction with swelling of the face or throat; or sudden, severe pain.
Ready when you are
AfterOurs has four clinics in Denver, Littleton and Thornton, locally owned since 2005. Walk in, or book a time online.
Medically reviewed by Peter Martinuzzi, MD
This article is general health information, not medical advice for your situation. If you are worried, come in or book a telehealth visit — and if it is an emergency, call 911.