We all know urgent care took some hard knocks at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of testing supplies and patient fear added up to a serious drop in patient visits. What might not be so obvious is that other practice settings may have it even worse. A news report that aired on WTKR television in coastal Virginia/northeastern North Carolina recently revealed that some primary care practices perceive that they’re losing patients to urgent care. While the piece takes a tone that may be overly sympathetic to the PCPs who are its focus, it reiterates a longstanding belief among urgent care professionals that consistent reciprocal referral relationships can be good for urgent care, patients, and whatever practice is on the other end of the line. If patients stop scheduling annual checkups with their PCP because they’re trying to minimize possible exposure to COVID-19, in favor of tending only to immediate care needs in an urgent care center, be sure to let the PCP know (within the bounds of HIPAA compliance). And while you’re communicating with them, suggest that they send patients they won’t have time to see your way.