Whether it’s due to undercooking, carving, or trying to deep fry a turkey, the day after Thanksgiving is the second busiest day of the year in urgent care (followed by the day after Christmas), according to a CityMD survey of its own physicians. Overall, 60% of CityMD’s urgent care centers in the New York and Seattle areas see an increase in patient visits related to cooking wounds, such as lacerations and burns, around the Thanksgiving holiday. In addition, 47% note more gastrointestinal complaints; 15% actually report seeing more orthopedic injuries, thanks traditions like the family football game or getting an early start on hanging holiday lights. It’s presumed patients wait until Friday to seek care on the assumption that “it’s not that bad” or because they don’t want to spoil the holiday for their family. If your location has hours on Thanksgiving, though, make sure that’s noted on window signage and on your website. If you have an email list, broadcast your holiday hours in advance.
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Holiday Celebrations Often Followed by a Trip to Urgent Care