NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Primary care doctors may be booked or unavailable during Thanksgiving week, but patients have other healthcare options available.
Vanderbilt Health offers two alternatives: video visits and walk-in clinics with online reservation systems to reduce wait times.
Nick Weimer with Vanderbilt University Medical Center said they see increased patient volume during this time of year.
"Typically we have kind of starting right around Thanksgiving, we've got what we call respiratory season. So a lot of the cold, the flu, those kinds of things going around," Weimer said.
Vanderbilt operates 24 clinics throughout Middle Tennessee, 12 of which are in Walgreens locations. Despite increased demand, many locations currently have open waiting spots available, and patients can also walk in without reservations.
"That's where our locations for our walk-in and urgent care locations really are a good opportunity if you're not able to get into your primary care provider timely," Weimer said.
CVS Minute Clinic provides another option for patients who prefer scheduled appointments, offering reservable time slots. The clinics operate seven days a week, closing only on Thanksgiving Day. Vanderbilt's telehealth option will be open on the holiday, but only until 3 p.m.
"If you have a little bit too much turkey or a little bit too aggressive of a football game, we've got the locations open and available to help serve you," Weimer said.
These services are designed for minor, non-life-threatening injuries. Patients experiencing severe symptoms should visit an emergency room.
Health insurance can be a major factor when considering going to the doctor, so WSMV4 Investigates took a look at Census data to better understand health insurance access across Tennessee.
The map below analyzes that data to show the percentage of people with health insurance in each Volunteer State county.
Williamson County had the highest percentage of insured residents, coming in at about 96%. On the other end of the spectrum was Bledsoe County, with about 83% of insured residents.
Davidson County fell about halfway between those two, with about 88% of people there insured.