Urgent Care Clinics in 2022: Industry Trends

Urgent Care Clinics in 2022: Industry Trends : The urgent care center industry is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% over the next five years, reaching $31 billion in value by 2022. This report provides key insights into the industry, including definitions, classifications, applications, industry chain structure, statistics, and analysis.

In addition, it discusses the major players in the industry, along with the competitive landscape for each player.

What are urgent care clinics?

Urgent care clinics are convenient, on-demand care outlets similar to walk-in retail clinics but rather treat low acuity conditions such as bronchitis and minor infections. These clinics are often located near hospitals and are staffed with physicians, nurses, and medical assistants.

They also offer services like blood testing, stitches, and x-ray. They can serve as the first stop for many people because they are open late hours and conveniently located near your workplace. However, they should not be used as a substitute for your regular physician. If you think you have a serious health concern, it is best to seek emergency treatment immediately.

The urgent care market & business model

Urgent care centers are popping up across the United States. They offer fast access to primary care physicians, often located just down the street. In many cases, they operate as satellite emergency rooms, offering the same level of care as hospital emergency departments, but without the associated cost.

According to Consumer Reports, the total number of urgent care centers grew from roughly 6,400 in 2014 to 8,100 in 2018. Another 500 to 600 clinics are expected to open over the next few years.

Some 24/7 urgent care clinics function like satellite emergency rooms and incur similar healthcare costs. Others charge copays. Generally speaking, an urgent care visit is a money saver for patients. A 2016 journal Annals of Emergency Medicine study compared ER treatment costs to those in an urgent care clinic. For patients with the same diagnoses, the ER had ten times higher costs (on average).

Because of the overlap, urgent care clinics have with family medicine and EM, they have usually staffed appropriately with at least one medical doctor or specialist and a PA, NP, or radiology tech available to see patients anytime the facility is open.

Urgent care staffing models

Henry Schein Medical says there are three main types of urgent care staffing models:

Physician Only: The most costly model that uses no mid-level providers. However, it could be the best option for new centers to build their customer base.
Mixed Model: A balanced mix of physicians, physician assistants, and nurses.
Mid-Level Model: Centers staffed entirely with mid-level staff. This option is suitable for lower acuity cases but might need help to handle more complex patients.

Top Urgent Care Providers & Companies

Urgent care clinics are only sometimes affiliated with traditional hospitals or healthcare organizations. In fact, according to a recent study, 61% of urgent care in Massachusetts is owned by chains that don’t operate traditional emergency departments. These chains often provide walk-in medical treatment for patients suffering from minor injuries and illnesses.

The biggest players in the industry include:

American Family Care
CityMD
Concentra
HealthCare Partners
MedExpress Urgent Care Centers