Urgent Care Case Study

lue-Based Care
Though they’ve been around for decades and have catered to numerous patient needs, until recently, many Americans have not given urgent care the time of day, opting instead for traditional ER visits. But, thanks to a rise in healthcare consumerism and a shift toward value-based care, the urgent care industry is finally “having its day.”
With urgent care centers focusing on providing convenient, quality care at a cost most people can afford, they are certainly giving ERs as well as PCPs a run for their money.
What Has Driven the Growth of the Urgent Care Industry?
Because the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has forced provider organizations to find alternative ways to deliver high-quality, value-based care, while still keeping costs …show more content…
In fact, these walk-in centers are becoming a “normal alternative” to routine PCP care. This might explain why, according to the Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA), there are currently 6,900 urgent care centers across the nation with more opening all the time.
What Value is Urgent Care Centers Adding to the Marketplace?
We’ve already mentioned that urgent care centers offer convenience at a lower cost, but what does this look like to the average consumer?
Urgent care centers provide ER-type of services, which means staff can do things like take X-rays, set broken bones, run tests and drain wounds. Centers also have a full-time physician and nurse on site, and some may also provide nurse practitioners or physician assistants.
And let’s talk about those low costs for a second. A study for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants conducted by VMG Health found the average cost of a visit to an urgent care clinic to be $80, whereas the average cost of a visit to a primary care physician is $130, and an average visit to a hospital emergency room is a whopping …show more content…
Though the industry is currently highly-fragmented, numerous private equity firms are acquiring centers across the country. Hospitals and health systems are also starting to snatch up clinics in an attempt to get in on the action. In 2012, Dignity Health acquired U.S. HealthWorks. Payers are also seeing the value urgent care centers offer and investing. Take, for example, the fact that WellPoint has invested in Physicians Immediate Care.
Demand Will Continue
How will urgent care demand develop in local markets? And how will this growth affect changes in emergency room care? Healthcare reform and alternate payment initiatives will no doubt have an impact on the growth rate of this segment, though no one is quite certain as to exactly how. Experts are predicting an additional 26 million non-elderly” will be insured by 2017 and that the demand for primary care physicians will exceed supply by as much as 53,000. Then there’s also an aging population (we’re talking about you baby boomers) which will contribute to the demand for alternative care options.
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