During school sports seasons in metro Detroit, parents often find themselves scurrying to the doctor’s office. After all, kids need sports physicals to ensure important pre-participation information is on file. And that’s where urgent care sports physicals are helpful.
After all, sometimes your little athlete pitches you this request a bit last-minute. And, on a tight turnaround, there might not enough time to get an appointment with your primary care physician.
It’s a sometimes overlooked or lesser-known fact: Urgent care sports physicals are indeed available at many urgent care facilities around southeast Michigan.
For busy families who live near one, these clinics are an excellent choice, says Dr. Matthew Ajluni, D.O., medical director of IHA Urgent Care & After Hours Care.
Scheduling considerations
A large volume of parents bring their kids to IHA clinics in August just ahead of the fall season, Ajluni notes. Sometimes, doctors’ offices “just can’t handle that onslaught all at the same time,” he adds.
That’s where urgent cares step up to the plate. The No. 1 reason parents should consider this option? “The big thing that we offer is just the convenience,” Ajluni says. “We’re open seven days a week (and) on nights and weekends. People don’t have to schedule. They can just come whenever it’s convenient.”
For parents who do want to schedule an appointment, he says, IHA clinics offer a “save my spot” feature. Parents can basically pick a time online and “get in line.” Then, they’ll receive a text 15 minutes before the appointment. There’s no waiting around at the office.
“Or you can just walk in,” he says. “You have the choice.”
Qualifications and costs
The doctors at IHA clinics also are updated annually on the latest evidence and standards, he says. “We do so many (sports physicals) that we have the routine down and we’re good at them and we know what to look for.”
As far as cost, sports physicals aren’t covered by most insurance plans, unless your primary doctor couples it with a well visit. IHA clinics charge $30 for a sports physicals, and Ajluni says that’s “definitely comparable to other urgent cares around town,” which can range anywhere from $25-$50.
But Ajluni emphasizes urgent care sports physicals shouldn’t replace a child’s regular well visit with their primary care physician.
Other urgent care perks
To discover an option near you, browse our list of urgent care clinics in metro Detroit and Ann Arbor. Just check ahead to make sure they can perform sports physicals.
Remember, too, that pre-participation sports checkups aren’t the only convenient service available at local urgent cares. Discover the other non-urgent medical services you can get at an urgent care, too.
This post was originally published in 2017 and is updated regularly.
