People might think they're visiting an urgent care center, but the facilities could actually be freestanding emergency centers located outside of hospitals — and the resulting sticker shock could be painful, NBC News reports.
According to the National Association of Freestanding Emergency Centers in Austin, Texas, freestanding emergency centers' medical services meet the same requirements and accreditations as hospital emergency rooms.
"They are conveniently located, offer little to no waits, and provide an unsurpassed quality of emergency care to patients," the trade group writes on its website. "FECs' reduced size and lower overhead and operational costs when compared to traditional hospitals allows them to provide their services in areas where hospitals cannot exist."
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Katie Kuehner-Hebert
Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.
