Cold & Flu Symptoms
Fever, cough, sore throat, sinus pressure with rapid testing
Sick Visits and Minor Injury Care in Big Pine Key, FL
Same-week appointments for colds, infections, sprains, and minor injuries, close to home in the Keys
Same-Day Visits:Often available, call early
Visit Length:15-30 minutes
Hours:Office hours, Mon-Fri
Insurance:Most plans accepted
Why It Matters
From the ER Detour to Same-Day Sick Visits
Common Illness, Local Office
When a Lower Keys resident wakes up sick, with fever, sinus pressure, urinary symptoms, a possible sprain or a wound that needs attention, the default for many is a long drive to urgent care or the ER in Marathon. Hours of waiting, an unfamiliar provider and a hospital-level bill follow. For most everyday illnesses and minor injuries, that path is more than is needed.
Sick visits at Florida Keys Primary Care give Big Pine Key residents a faster, friendlier alternative. Call our office during business hours and we will work to see you the same day whenever possible. Dr. Keifer or Tabble Memoli diagnose and treat most common illnesses on the spot, prescribe medications, perform rapid testing, and handle minor injuries that don't require imaging or surgery, all in our familiar Lower Keys office.
Treatment Timeline
Visit Length
15-30 minutes
Scheduling
Same-day during office hours when possible
Rapid Test Results
10-15 minutes (strep, flu, COVID)
Follow-Up
Not included with sick visits
What Is a Sick Visit?
Acute Primary Care
A sick visit is a focused, often same-day primary-care appointment for non-emergency illness or minor injury, things like a fever, cough, sore throat, sinus infection, urinary tract infection, rash, mild sprain, small cut or abdominal pain. Unlike emergency rooms, sick visits in primary care are built for common conditions and use your existing chart, your medications and your family history to deliver care that fits.
At Florida Keys Primary Care in Big Pine Key, sick visits are managed by Dr. Gregory Keifer, D.O. and APRN Tabble Memoli, MSN. Both clinicians are trained in acute primary care and bring decades of experience with the conditions Lower Keys residents most often face. Rapid strep, flu and COVID testing are available in-office. Minor lacerations, abscesses or splinters can often move directly to in-office procedures. Established patients get the added benefit of having every visit added to the same continuous medical record.
Sick visits are intentionally narrow, they are not a substitute for an annual physical exam or for ongoing chronic disease management, both of which deserve dedicated time. But for the moments when something acute happens, our sick-visit service keeps care close to home.
Benefits of Local Sick Visits
Faster, Cheaper, Friendlier
2000+ Satisfied patients
- 01
Skip the ER
Save hours and ER-level fees for non-emergency issues
- 02
Familiar Provider
See the same physician practice that knows your medical history
- 03
Rapid In-Office Testing
Strep, flu and COVID results in 15 minutes
- 04
Lower Cost
Standard office copay versus hospital-level urgent care fees
- 05
Continuity of Care
Visit notes flow into your full Florida Keys Primary Care chart
Sick Visits vs Alternatives
Where to Go When You're Sick
| Setting | Wait Time | Cost | Provider | Records | Best For | When to Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL Keys Primary Care Sick Visit | Same day when possible, by appointment | Office copay | Familiar physician practice | Integrated chart | Common illness and minor injury | True emergencies |
| Urgent Care (Marathon/Key West) | 30-90 minutes typical | $100-$250 + insurance | Different each visit | Standalone record | After-hours acute care | Established patients with charts here |
| Emergency Room | Hours of waiting | $1,000+ ER fees | Whoever is on shift | Hospital record | Trauma, chest pain, stroke symptoms | Common cold or simple UTI |
Who Should Book a Sick Visit?
Most Adults and Older Children
Sick visits fit most adults and many children with sudden, common, non-emergency conditions. If you are unsure whether your situation is appropriate for a same-day sick visit or needs the ER, call our office at (305) 872-3321 and we will help you decide. Many issues that start as sick visits can move directly to in-office procedures the same day if needed.
Ideal Candidates for a Sick Visit
- Adults with cold, flu, sinus, sore throat or cough symptoms
- Patients with urinary, ear, eye or skin infections
- Mild to moderate stomach illness or dehydration
- Minor sprains, strains or wounds without obvious fracture
- Established patients of Florida Keys Primary Care
- New patients in the Lower Keys without an established physician
Who Should Go Directly to the Emergency Room
- Anyone with chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting or stroke symptoms (slurred speech, one-sided weakness, sudden severe headache)
- Severe trauma, deep wounds with heavy bleeding or suspected fractures requiring imaging
- Severe abdominal pain, bloody vomiting or diarrhea, or signs of sepsis
- Pregnancy complications, severe allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts
- Infants under 3 months with fever
When in doubt about a child or any severe symptom, do not delay, call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
How a Sick Visit Works
What to expect during your same-day visit, from quick check-in to evaluation and treatment
Call to Schedule
Our front desk verifies same-day availability and registers you quickly.
Focused Intake
Our medical assistant takes vitals and the chief complaint to triage the visit.
Provider Evaluation
Dr. Keifer or Tabble Memoli examines you, orders rapid tests if needed, and reaches a diagnosis.
Treatment & Plan
Prescriptions are sent electronically; minor procedures are completed same-visit when appropriate.
After Your Visit
We do not provide routine follow-up after sick visits; call us if your symptoms change or worsen.
When Sick Visits Are and Are Not Appropriate
Common visit effects, medication reactions, and when to escalate to emergency care for safety
-
Common Effects of Same-Day Care Visits
Most sick visits and minor injury appointments are low-risk and quick. Common effects include mild soreness from injections, temporary discomfort during wound care or splinting, and side effects from prescribed medications. Fluids, rest, and clear instructions support recovery. -
Less Common Reactions to Treatments
Some patients experience GI upset from antibiotics, allergic reactions to medications, or fatigue from short-term steroids. Irritation around stitches, splints, or dressings can occur. We screen for allergies, drug interactions, and chronic conditions before prescribing. -
Important Safety and Escalation Considerations
The biggest risk with same-day care is missing a more serious underlying condition. We evaluate vitals, history, and symptoms, and refer to emergency care or specialists when something needs more advanced testing or imaging. After-hours guidance keeps you safe.
Sick Visit Cost in Big Pine Key, FL
Insurance and Self-Pay
Sick visits are billed as standard office visits. For patients with insurance, your normal copay or coinsurance applies, typically far less than urgent care or emergency room costs for the same condition. Florida Keys Primary Care accepts most major insurance plans serving the Lower Keys, including Medicare, Medicare Advantage, BCBS, Aetna, Cigna and United.
Self-Pay Pricing
- Established patient sick visit: $115-$165
- New patient sick visit: $145-$215
- Rapid strep / flu / COVID test (each): $35-$65
- Urinalysis with culture: $25-$85
- Common in-office injection (e.g. ceftriaxone, B12): $35-$95
Self-pay patients can finance unexpected medical costs through Cherry or Care Credit, both accepted at our front desk. If your sick visit identifies a need for a follow-up procedure, we can move directly to in-office procedures the same day, often saving an additional visit charge.
Why Choose Florida Keys Primary Care
Same-week appointments for colds, infections, and minor injuries with the physician you already know
Forty-Year Community Practice
Same trusted Big Pine Key office, same familiar staff
Same-Day Local Access
Save the long drive to Marathon or Key West for true emergencies
On-Site Rapid Testing & Procedures
Many visits handled completely without referral
Care Tied to Your Full Chart
Notes integrated with your annual physical and chronic care records
Same-Week Appointments
Get seen quickly when you're not feeling your best
Familiar Provider, Familiar Place
No urgent care strangers, just your regular doctor
Related Primary Care Services
Care that fits naturally with same-day sick visits.
Medical and Preventive Care
Annual physicals, chronic disease management, walk-in sick visits and in-office procedures — physician-led care for the Middle and Lower Keys
Learn More
Wellness Treatments
Hormone Replacement, Medical Weight Loss, TMS Therapy, Emsella, Emsculpt Neo and more — physician-led wellness for the Lower Keys
Learn More
Regenerative Treatments
Hair restoration, PRP facials and PRP joint injections — physician-led regenerative medicine for the Lower Keys
Learn More
Aesthetic Treatments
Botox, dermal fillers, ADVATx laser resurfacing, Emface, Denza, Nirvana laser hair removal and physician-curated skincare — all under one roof
Learn MoreSick Visit FAQs
Big Pine Key, FL
What illnesses do you treat?
Cold and flu, sinus infections, sore throats, UTIs, ear infections, pink eye, skin infections, minor sprains, rashes, stomach illness and many more common, non-emergency conditions.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes, sick visits are scheduled appointments. Call (305) 872-3321 first thing in the morning and we will work to fit you in the same day during office hours whenever possible.
How quickly can I be seen?
Most patients calling early in the day are seen the same day during regular office hours. The earlier you call, the better our chances of fitting you in. Office hours are Monday through Friday.
Do you treat minor injuries?
Yes. We handle sprains, strains, minor cuts and lacerations, abscesses, splinters, burns and rashes that do not require imaging or surgical care. For suspected fractures, severe bleeding or major trauma, go directly to the emergency department.
Can children be seen for sick visits?
We see patients age 2 and older; we do not see infants. Any child with severe symptoms should go directly to the emergency department.
Schedule Your Sick and Minor Injury Care Consultation
References
- PubMed (PMID: 27418650): Continuity of primary care was associated with reduced emergency department use and lower acute-care costs in adult populations.
- PubMed (PMID: 32042830): Rapid in-office testing for influenza and group A strep improved appropriate antibiotic stewardship in primary-care sick visits.
- PubMed (PMID: 25092830): Same-day access to a primary-care provider was linked with higher patient satisfaction and reduced unnecessary urgent-care utilization.