Urgent Care Questions in Chicago

The physicians and staff of Michigan Avenue Immediate Care appreciate your trust in us as your medical providers. We hope that you will find the following information helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any additional questions. We look forward to seeing you and to providing extraordinary, efficient medical care for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really just walk in the office?

There is no need to make an appointment. This is the nature of an immediate care practice, where we serve patients that have non-emgergent medical concerns and needs. If you are experiencing an emergency, you should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you are looking for a Primary Care Physician and would like to schedule an appointment, Michigan Avenue Primary Care, affiliated with Michigan Avenue Immediate Care, is now open and accepting new patients. You may call (312) 943-3000 (visit www.michiganavenueprimarycare.com for more information).

What are the office hours?

Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

What is Urgent Care?

“Urgent care” is a phrase commonly used throughout the United States and considered by many as synonymous with ‘Immediate Care’. However, until January 15, 2015, the phrase ‘urgent care’ was differentiated from the phrase “immediate care” in the state of Illinois for its potential ambiguity and the implication that a facility was equipped to handle true emergencies. The Act now reads: (b) No person, facility, or entity shall hold itself out to the public as an “emergi-” or “emergent” care center or use any similar term, as defined by rule, that would give the impression that emergency medical treatment is provided by the person or entity or at the facility unless the facility is the emergency room of a facility licensed as a hospital under the Hospital Licensing Act or a facility licensed as a freestanding emergency center under the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. This Section does not prohibit a person, facility, or entity from holding itself out to the public as an “urgi-” or “urgent” care center.

How do I get to the Michigan Avenue Immediate Care facility?

We are in Suite 1605. Please refer to the How To Find Us section of the website for orientation, the closest CTA EL train routes and parking facilities.

What is "Immediate Care?"

Immediate care is defined as medical care that accommodates patients who “need to see a doctor now” but who do not have a life-threatening condition warranting an emergency room visit. No appointment is necessary and walk-ins are welcome because these non-emergency conditions are unpredictable yet medical attention is necessary. Patients must be aware that an immediate care center is not appropriate for very serious or life-threatening conditions

How is Michigan Avenue Immediate Care different from other immediate care clinics?

How we think we’re different:We set ourselves apart with the customer service and the location, location, location we provide. Because Michigan Avenue Immediate Care is independently owned and operated, we are very responsive and aggressive with providing outstanding customer service. The physicians and staff associated with Michigan Avenue Immediate Care love the practice of medicine, are passionate about what we do, and it shows. Please also refer to other background in this website including our mission statement and “How We Strive to be Different".

Where should I go, emergency room or immediate care clinic?

True emergencies, such as serious cardiac and respiratory conditions, are best evaluated and treated in a hospital emergency room. Examples include chest pain (which could be cardiac), severe respiratory distress, severe hemorrhage or other life-threatening alteration in heart rate or blood pressure. If in doubt about the seriousness of your condition, error on the side of safety and call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room.

In addition, after we evaluate and assess your physical complaints and condition, if appropriate (i.e. we identify a condition which is best treated in an emergency room), we will arrange for immediate transfer to Northwestern Memorial Hospital (the closest emergency room to our facility).

What should I bring to my appointment?

Please bring a copy of your I.D. and most recent insurance card. If you are currently taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications, please be prepared to share the names and dosages with us (if you recall and/or if your medicine bottles are available).

Do I have to pay for my visit at the time of my appointment?

Payment for your medical care is requested at the time of service. If you have insurance, please note that most insurance plans include an up-front “co-pay” for which the patient is responsible. In addition, most insurance plans include a deductible (they start payment when the dollar amount exceeds a certain dollar amount, say $250, $500 or $1000). Many insurance plans also include a co-insurance payment (the patient is still responsible for a percentage of the dollar amount of each claim, above and beyond the deductible amount).

Unless you have been sick before, or have used your insurance card, the process can be quite confusing. You may need to call your insurance company to update yourself and to refresh your memory on current terms of the coverage by your insurance carrier. We will bill your primary insurance for you. For your convenience, VISA, MasterCard, and other credit cards, as well as cash, are accepted.

If you do not have insurance, you will be considered a “self-pay” patient.

If we are not in your current PPO network, Michigan Avenue Primary Care is considered an “out of network” provider. Our charges are very reasonable and you may find that the “out of network” fee you pay us is not significantly different than the “in network” fee you might pay.

We are in-network with most major insurance providers.We recommend you call your insurance company if you have specific questions about your insurance plan and coverage.

What happens if my insurance company does not pay my bill?

Health care insurance is intended to cover some, but not all, of the costs of medical care. If you have any questions about your insurance coverage, we recommend you call your insurance company to clarify the terms of your current insurance policy before receiving treatment. In all medical settings, including this clinic, please be aware that the patient is ultimately responsible for payment of fees if there are problems with coverage from the insurance company.

How and when can I find out about any pending test results after my evaluation and treatment?

Some relevant test results can obtained on-site via rapid testing (a common example is a throat swab for Strep Throat). These types of results will be shared with you immediately at the time of your visit.

More complex tests need to be sent to a laboratory for processing. Routine test results typically take a few business days to finalize, however, less common tests may take longer. All finalized test results will be available via your patient portal account.

Who should I contact if I get sick after hours?

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, or if you are in doubt, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are looking for a non-emergent walk-in clinic, please visit Michigan Avenue Immediate Care, our affiliated practice, where no appointment is necessary.

Do your doctors treat young children?

Yes, we do see children over the age of 12 months for sick-visits. We see children over the age of 5 years for routine check-ups.

May I email the doctors associated with Michigan Avenue Primary Care directly?

Secure messaging is a feature available via our patient portal. Portal messaging should be used for non-urgent issues as turn-around time can be 24-48 hours. For urgent matters, please call us at (312) 994-3000.

✆ Phone (appointments): 312-201-1234

Address: 180 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 1605, Chicago, IL 60601