Patients requiring medical consultation and care for a variety of ailments and health concerns may have specific personal reasons and requirements for confidentiality with regards to their appointments, discussions with medical professionals, diagnoses and consequent treatments. In such sensitive cases, a private clinic may be preferable to waiting around in a traditional GP’s surgery or hospital waiting room.
Patients, for example, concerned about their sexual health and requiring a Chlamydia, HIV or STD test, may prefer consultations more privately and confidentially. Not only are their healthcare concerns of a highly personal nature, but there may also be potential embarrassment and need for additional advice or counselling besides purely professional care under such circumstances. In addition, a private clinic may also offer the option to patients of not even having to give their personal details if they feel uncomfortable doing so, alleviating the requirement to commit in any way or register their particulars.
A private clinic may provide a fitting alternative to these patients, who can, in some cases, walk in off the street, without the need to make advanced appointments. This can provide vital peace of mind and reassurance that they can speak to someone in confidence almost immediately, without having to wait a matter of days or event weeks for an appointment. Immediacy was crucial to patients with suspected swine flu symptoms during the recent national outbreak and wave of concern.
Besides offering the services of an STD clinic, another example of why a private clinic may be highly preferential to other services is with regards to work related healthcare where confidentiality, flexibility and minimal waiting time are also key, such as health checks for existing staff and incoming employees.
We, at samedaydoctor, provide confidential and high quality walk in healthcare consultations seven days a week and have sites in Basingstoke, Edinburgh, Manchester and five across London.