Can I Get a Doctor’s Note From Urgent Care?

Written by

Jessica Guht

Jessica is a medical writer with an unquenched thirst to discover something new. She believes that medical content should be accessible to everyone and strives to write content that every single person can understand. When Jessica isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading a book with a dog cuddled in her lap. Jessica has a Masters of Engineering degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Medically reviewed by

Amy Dougherty, FNP-BC, AGAC

Amy is a Board Certified Family Health Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with over 15 years of experience working in Hospital Medicine, Urgent Care and Primary Care practices. Amy graduated Thomas Jefferson University with high distinction earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2008, a Master of Science in Nursing in 2010 and a Post Master's Certificate in Adult Gerontology Acute Care (AGAC) in 2014. She was recognized by the Elite American Nurses Association in 2013 for her dedication, achievements and leadership in the field Nursing. She served as a clinical preceptor for a number of Nurse Practitioner students and enjoys teaching the bright minds of future NPs.

Urgent care is for patients who experience sudden medical conditions and need treatment within a quick time frame, usually 24 hours. There will be times when you need to obtain a doctor’s note to excuse you from work or school, but when it comes to getting a doctor’s note from urgent care, there are some things you need to know. Let’s show you what you need to understand before you go to urgent care.

Table of Contents

• Can You Get a Doctor’s Note From Urgent Care?
• For What Can You Get a Doctor’s Note From Urgent Care?
• Under What Circumstances Can You Not Get a Doctor’s Note From Urgent Care?
• Where Else Could You Get a Doctor’s Note?
• Get a Doctor’s Note From DrHouse!
• Key Takeaways

Can You Get a Doctor’s Note From Urgent Care?

An urgent care center is a place for when you need care for a minor medical issue or other medical services, such as vaccinations. They are an alternative option for people who do not have access to a primary care doctor. 

Urgent care centers are different from emergency care centers and do not treat life-threatening conditions. Additionally, in urgent care centers, you may be treated by someone who is not a doctor, for example, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. If you have a condition that means you need to be off work, you can get a doctor’s note. When a healthcare provider outlines basic information about a medical condition like an illness or injury in a doctor’s note, this may also excuse the patient from work completely or highlight the duties they cannot perform due to the condition.

For What Can You Get a Doctor’s Note From Urgent Care?

When you approach an urgent care center for support from a doctor, you have to understand what a doctor can treat you for. Urgent care centers provide treatment for non-life-threatening conditions but demand urgent care. You can get a doctor’s note from urgent care for the following general concerns: 

• Broken bones and/or fractures. 
• Cold or flu issues and associated symptoms. 
• Allergic reactions that are not life-threatening, such as a mild food allergy. 
• Numerous infections and viruses, for example, urinary tract infections and strep throat. 
• Specific physical issues, for example, concerns relating to the stomach, which may involve vomiting, stomach bugs, dehydration, diarrhea, etc. 
• Concerns with ongoing conditions, for example, mild asthma attacks.

Under What Circumstances Can You Not Get a Doctor’s Note From Urgent Care?

A doctor may refuse care according to their Hippocratic mandate to “first do no harm,” and as urgent care centers serve the purpose of dealing with conditions that are classed as urgent but not immediately life-threatening, the doctor would not provide a note when the treatment requested is outside the doctor’s scope of practice or the treatment would violate their duties as a physician.

A few scenarios where a doctor in urgent care would not write you a note for severe conditions would include: 

• Severe headaches or symptoms such as uncontrollable vomiting, dizziness, stroke symptoms, and difficulty breathing. 
• Uncontrollable bleeding. 
• Allergic reactions that demand immediate intervention. 
• Abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. 
• Unconsciousness. 
• Various injuries with complicated fractures and breaks. 

These are situations where an urgent care center cannot provide instant support because an urgent care center would not have the appropriate resources to treat the concern.

Where Else Could You Get a Doctor’s Note?

Many people wonder if they can get a doctor’s note without going to the doctor, but a doctor’s note can only be provided by a healthcare professional. You can get an online doctor’s note by receiving it via telemedicine practices like online consultations. However, it’s important to note that while you can receive a doctor’s note via telemedicine, it is only approved if a licensed doctor has assessed you thoroughly. 

While there are conditions where telemedicine may not be appropriate, for example, when physical examinations are necessary, there are times when a doctor can prescribe a doctor’s note. You can get a doctor’s note through medical care facilities such as urgent care, but you can also get a doctor’s note through online medical practices, where a licensed clinician can provide you with an official doctor’s note or a “return to work” note.

Get a Doctor’s Note From DrHouse!

If you need a doctor’s note for school or work, you can get a doctor’s note and get virtual visits with 24/7 care support without the need for insurance. We provide urgent care visits where you can pick up and pay for your medication in your preferred pharmacy with on-demand care support and virtual visits with a doctor’s note to excuse you from work or school. 

When it comes to getting a doctor’s note, a lot of people are concerned that they won’t get what they’ve asked for, especially when it comes to certain conditions. Our professional clinicians are trained in the top US medical schools and are qualified to diagnose and treat a wide variety of non-emergency conditions, ensuring that you have the personalized treatment you deserve. 

If you are feeling unwell and you believe you need time away from work or with a reduced working capacity, our clinicians can get to the root of the issue, giving you the peace of mind you need and the time to recover.

Key Takeaways

When it comes to getting a doctor’s note from urgent care, you need to remember that an urgent care center is not an emergency care center. Urgent care does not treat life-threatening conditions. In these instances, it is far better to go to an emergency room or dial 911.

You can get a doctor’s note from urgent care for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions, which would include specific physical issues, cold and flu symptoms, ongoing conditions, and other concerns that are not deemed to be immediately life-threatening. If you cannot get a doctor’s note from urgent care and there is a perceived threat to your life, for example, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, heart attacks, uncontrollable bleeding and, so forth you should go to the emergency room. 

You can get a doctor’s note for urgent care online through providers like DrHouse to ensure that if you have concerns you have a condition that is not life-threatening but is impacting your life, having the opportunity to rest and recuperate is essential. Getting a doctor’s note from urgent care is completely achievable, as long as the conditions are classed as non-life-threatening.

Sources:

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