Express Urgent Care is a walk-in urgent care about thirteen minutes from University City by I-170 and I-70. It is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Flu and COVID tests run in the on-site laboratory. Confidential STI testing needs no explanation at the desk.
University City is dense in a way most of St. Louis County is not. Think of the Loop and the blocks around Washington University’s western edge. There is a large renting and student population. A lot of people here have no established primary care doctor in the area, because they have only lived here two years. That mix produces exactly the kind of medical need urgent care exists for. It is something that started yesterday, is worse today, and has no obvious place to go. We are about five miles northwest and open weekdays until seven. You do not need to be an existing patient.
What can I be seen for at urgent care?
Anything that needs care today but is not an emergency. That means colds and influenza, sore throat and strep, and ear and sinus infections. It means bronchitis and persistent cough, fever, and stomach upset and dehydration. It also means urinary symptoms, rashes and allergic reactions, and asthma flare-ups. For injuries, we treat sprains and strains, suspected fractures, dislocations and cuts needing closure. We also treat minor burns, abrasions, animal bites and insect stings, sports injuries and head injuries. Plus, we handle physicals, vaccinations, confidential STI testing, occupational medicine and an on-site infusion suite.
Can urgent care run tests on site?
Here is why most urgent care visits turn into two appointments: the clinic cannot run the test. We can. Digital X-ray is on site and is read during your visit. So a suspected fracture is confirmed or ruled out before you walk out. Splinting or bracing happens the same day. Our laboratory can test for strep, influenza, COVID-19, mononucleosis and pregnancy. It also runs urinalysis and blood panels. Most results come back during your visit, and the rest within a few days. Ultrasound and CT are available for the cases that need them.
How far is urgent care from University City?
The cleanest run from University City is Interstate 170 north to Interstate 70 west. Then get off at the Lambert exit. It takes roughly thirteen minutes outside of rush hour. From the Delmar Loop end, going up Hanley to I-170 avoids most of the surface-street lights. There is free parking at the door, which is its own argument if you are used to the Loop. For students without a car, it is worth planning the visit around someone who has one. We are not on a direct transit line.
What shouldn’t I go to urgent care for?
We are an urgent care center rather than an emergency department. That distinction matters. Call 911 or go to an emergency room for chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke, severe or uncontrolled bleeding, a serious head injury with loss of consciousness or worsening symptoms, severe abdominal pain, a major burn, a severe allergic reaction, pregnancy complications, or any injury involving exposed bone. For anything less serious than that, urgent care is faster. It also costs a fraction of what an emergency department charges for the same complaint. Our post on urgent care versus the emergency room shows where the line sits.
What happens when I walk in?
You show up without an appointment and register at the front desk. Bring a photo ID and your insurance card, if you have one. Also bring a list of the medicines you take. If the patient is a child, a parent or guardian needs to be there to sign. You are triaged in the order you arrive, adjusted for how sick people are. So a chest complaint will move ahead of a form that needs signing. A clinician takes your history and does an exam. Then the clinician orders whatever testing the problem calls for. Because the laboratory and the X-ray suite are in the building, that testing generally happens while you wait. It does not turn into a second appointment. You leave with a diagnosis where one can be made, a treatment plan and written instructions. Any prescription is sent to your pharmacy. You also get a clear statement of what should bring you back. Our post on what to expect from an urgent care visit covers it in more detail.
Insurance, records and follow-up
We accept most major insurance plans. We also see patients who self-pay. Bring whatever coverage you have, and the front desk will tell you where you stand before anything is done. If you would like the cost in writing beforehand, you can request a Good Faith Estimate. We are not trying to replace your regular doctor. Where you have one, we send your physician a summary of the visit. So they know what happened and what was prescribed. Where you do not, we tell you honestly whether this is something that needs ongoing care. We also help you find it. If the problem turns out to sit outside urgent care, you will hear that from us. We point you to the right place rather than treating around the edges of it. Language assistance is available at no charge. The clinic is wheelchair accessible throughout.
Frequently asked questions
Can I be seen without an established doctor in St. Louis?
Yes. You do not need a referral, an existing chart, or a primary care doctor in the area. Walk in and you are seen. Walk-in urgent care is designed for exactly this. We will send a visit summary wherever you ask us to.
Do you offer confidential STI testing?
Yes, and you do not need to explain yourself at the desk. We test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and more. Several results come back during the visit. See STD and STI testing for how it works and what the timing after an exposure looks like.
Do you take walk-ins for flu and COVID testing?
Yes. Both are same-visit tests in our on-site laboratory. If you are trying to get ahead of the season, our post on staying healthy during flu season is worth ten minutes.
Is urgent care cheaper than the ER?
It is, for anything that is not a true emergency. The same complaint costs a fraction here of what an emergency department charges. Urgent care is the faster route as well. If you are between insurance plans, we see self-pay patients. The front desk tells you where you stand before anything is done. A written Good Faith Estimate is available on request.
Can you go to urgent care at night?
We are open until 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, and we open at 7 a.m. That covers the problem that started yesterday and got worse after a class or a shift, as long as you arrive before closing. There is nothing to book. Walk in with a photo ID and any insurance card you have. For chest pain, trouble breathing or signs of stroke at any hour, call 911.
Visit us
Express Urgent Care
4479 Woodson Rd, Suite 290, St. Louis, MO 63134
Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
No appointment and no referral. Walk in, or call ahead on your way and we will start the registration. We also serve Florissant, Bridgeton, Hazelwood, Overland, Ferguson, St. Ann and the surrounding communities.