Urgent Care Centers: Filling the Gap Between PCPs and ERs

Introduction: A Growing Need for Urgent Care

The urgent care center and retail health clinic market is currently worth around $10 billion and is positioned for strong growth as the shortage of primary care doctors and overcrowded emergency rooms increasingly direct patients to retail sites, according to data from Marketdata Enterprises, an independent market research publisher. Consider a common scenario: after tolerating a sore throat and runny nose for two days, a patient finds that their doctor's office cannot schedule an appointment for another three days, and waiting hours in a hospital emergency room for cold symptoms seems unreasonable. This situation is far from unusual, as access to timely medical care is becoming increasingly difficult.

Although most patients prefer to be seen by their primary care physician when in need of acute care, same-day appointments are not always available, leading to overcrowding in emergency rooms. Urgent care centers are a viable option that should be more widely utilized due to their accessibility, affordability, and professionalism.

Accessibility: Extended Hours and Walk-In Convenience

Urgent care centers are freestanding facilities that offer extended weekday, weekend, and holiday hours. Most operate 365 days a year. For adults who work a standard nine-to-five schedule, getting in to see a doctor during traditional daytime hours is difficult. The same is true for school-age children who need an annual physical for sports participation. With urgent care's walk-in policy, it is far more convenient to see a doctor later in the day, seven days a week.

In the United States, approximately 8,700 urgent care centers are currently in operation, with 700 to 800 new clinics expected to open every year. These no-appointment-needed offices provide easy access across urban, suburban, and rural areas alike. Whether a patient is close to home, traveling for business, or on vacation, when non-life-threatening care is needed, an urgent care center is a more appropriate choice than an emergency room.

Some experts believe that emergency care in the United States deserves no better than a "C-," according to a report published by the American College of Emergency Physicians. Many argue that going to an ER for urgent but non-emergency care is not the best solution. Urgent care centers can provide the services a patient needs without the long wait times typical of an ER. The walk-in policy at most of these centers makes it significantly easier for patients to receive timely care. Many centers also offer a wide range of services, including back-to-school physicals, cholesterol monitoring, hearing tests, wound care, immunization record updates, digital X-rays, and employee drug screenings.

Many patients find the convenience of urgent care centers highly attractive. They are conveniently located and maintain hours of operation that most traditional clinics do not. While a conventional doctor's office may close at 5 p.m., urgent care centers remain open in the evenings and on weekends. Their lower prices — discussed in the following section — are also a significant draw for consumers.

Many urgent care centers are increasingly promoting clear, welcoming messages to encourage patients who might otherwise hesitate. These messages emphasize that patients do not have to wait days, weeks, or even months for an appointment. Centers highlight that all a patient needs to do is walk in, and they will receive quality care. To further improve the patient experience, many centers have made registration forms and bill-pay services available online. Equipped with on-site X-ray, physical therapy, and laboratory services, urgent care centers treat a wide range of general medical conditions.

These centers also work to ensure that patients feel comfortable and well-informed. Staff members are carefully selected for both their clinical specialties and their ability to connect with patients. Most walk-in urgent care centers operate as open medical environments, with the costs of healthcare services and clinical visits clearly posted at the registration desk. Many centers maintain a policy of full price transparency, so patients are not surprised when they receive their bill. Board-certified physicians, physician assistants, and advanced registered nurse practitioners staff these facilities, all committed to providing communities with affordable and responsive answers to rising healthcare costs.

Conclusion: Urgent Care as a Healthcare Solution

The American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine (AAUCM) is the leading professional organization for physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners practicing urgent care medicine (Galewitz, 2012). The goal of the AAUCM is to advance the field of urgent care medicine through professional development, technical and medical education, and medical research — all in service of improving the overall quality of patient care. The American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine is working diligently to defend and safeguard the future of the field of urgent care, ensuring these centers continue to serve as an accessible, affordable, and professional cornerstone of the American healthcare system.