Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Guest column: Urgent care has eased pressure on medical field

One of the most prominent new trends in U.S. health care is the rapidly increasing popularity of the urgent care business model.

While this once was an uncommon form of medical care, urgent care recently has developed into one of the fastest-growing segments of the health care industry. It is intended to be used when primary care offices don’t have immediate openings and patients don’t require emergency care. The convenience of this model has become so popular, urgent care has transformed into a $14.5 billion business, according to IBISWorld market research organization.

There are many reasons this form of care has become so widespread. Urgent care facilities focus on providing immediate and appropriate treatment, with patients able to walk in without appointments and receive on-the-spot care at a typically lower cost than visiting the emergency room. The average cost of an urgent care visit is $55 to $75, according to ConsumerReports, while the average cost of an ER visit is $400.

Many urgent care facilities also offer weekend and evening care, when primary doctors’ offices typically are closed. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, which represents more than 2,600 urgent care centers in the United States and abroad, 85 percent of urgent care centers are open seven days a week, with 95 percent staying open until 7 p.m or later.

Urgent care facilities also take pressure off overcrowded emergency rooms. According to the Press Ganey 2010 Emergency Department Pulse Report, the average ER visit time was more than four hours. A significant percentage of ER patients can be properly treated in an urgent care setting in a fraction of the time.

Most urgent care facilities also treat a wide range of conditions, including fever and flu, strep throat, ear infections, respiratory illnesses, minor broken bones and fractures, skin rashes and urinary tract infections. Many of the facilities offer diagnostic services such as X-rays and laboratory tests onsite.

Urgent care also has become a desirable option because of a national doctor shortage. Nevada ranks 46th in the nation for active primary care physicians, with 71.2 physicians for every 100,000 people, according to research by the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

New forms of urgent care business models are emerging that treat more specific health needs, such as pediatric and gynecological care.

Urgent care likely will continue to serve as a valuable resource, especially as the Affordable Care Act allows more people to obtain health insurance and seek medical care. Although primary and emergent care surely will always remain important components of the medical industry, urgent care has become an integral piece of the health care landscape.

Larry Blumenthal is chief financial officer of Good Night Pediatrics.

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