When accidents occur or when disease strikes everyone wants high quality medical care. There are many world class hospitals in every city, but the sad fact is that these facilities are restricted to those that can afford them. Only those with medical insurance or that have ample cash reserves have access to the latest treatment methods and the best doctors. Those that cannot afford such services must depend upon Calgary walk in clinics.

This type of medical facility is very broadly defined. In some cases there are small facilities inside super markets. These are normally staffed by nursing personnel. Other facilities focus on emergencies and trauma. Yet others are operated by charities. There are also a number of community health services. Prices differ wildly, often depending upon the type of staffing they enjoy. Some are free of charge, however.

A lot of people think that all these facilities offer emergency treatment. This is definitely not the case. Many do, but many others offer limited services and are not equipped to deal with trauma and emergencies. The majority of facilities do not even employ a doctor. Those without health care benefits should familiarize themselves with the free and affordable facilities in their area.

Clearly, the main benefit of these medical facilities is the fact that their services are either free or at least at a minimal fee. Patients can simply attend. No appointments are necessary and the attending staff normally treat patients on a first arrived first helped basis, but emergencies always enjoy priority, of course. Patients are accepted without having to answer potentially awkward questions on citizenship, for example.

One of the biggest drawbacks is the fact that patients often have to wait for very long periods before they are assisted. This is because many of these facilities have to cope with large numbers of patients. They have a limited number of staff and the assistance that they are able to offer is often also very limited. Because of the large number of patients, attending staff often have to rush in order to process as many patients in as short a time as possible.

Many critics slam these medical facilities as utterly inadequate for even very basic health care. They cite the facts that many facilities do not even have an attending doctor, that basic diagnostic tools are seldom present and that the range of medication offered to patients are rudimentary. Critics say that the staff at any of these facilities only had very basic training and that they should not be allowed to attend to patients without supervision.

Doctors have also voiced their criticism. They suggest that it is only possible to treat a patient properly if there is a proper and comprehensive health record available. If this is not the case, patients can be treated symptomatically and serious conditions underlying the symptoms can be overlooked. They say that this can lead to unnecessary complications and even death.

One thing is certain. Not everyone is equal when it comes to health care. The rich can afford the best facilities and the best specialists. Critics may rage against the free and minimal charge facilities but these are all that poor people have. They do whatever they can with the limited resources available to them.