Most of the legislative issues that affect urgent care operations are governed at the state level, particularly provider scope-of-practice laws. A recent guest column in the Columbus Dispatch by Alan Ayers, MBA, MAcc, President of Urgent Care Consultants and Senior Editor of JUCM, makes the case for urgent care’s untapped potential in providing affordable access to care in rural areas. Kentucky and Indiana are witnessing growth in rural urgent care, but Ohio is lagging because of its restrictive laws that mandate x-rays can only be performed by a certified radiologic technologist or a general x-ray machine operator under a physician’s supervision. The rules create stiff headwinds that make urgent care growth nearly impossible because of the difficult staffing requirements related to the core capability of x-ray services in Ohio. And there are economic impacts as well. Ayers says, “one-third of rural counties in Ohio lack access to after-hours x-ray services outside of emergency departments, costing taxpayers millions in extra Medicaid expenditures.”
Recommendations: Ayers suggests that, “Ohio policymakers must recognize that rural urgent care can be a great solution for rural health care, but only if the x-ray situation is solved. By standardizing its x-ray regulations with other states, Ohio can dramatically improve healthcare access, save Ohio Medicaid millions and enhance primary care services for chronically underserved populations.” Read the complete article in the Columbus Dispatch.
Read More
- What Qualifies Someone to Take X-Rays in the Urgent Care Center? It All Depends on Where You’re Located
- Who Can Take X-Rays in an Urgent Care Center?
- Benefits of Utilizing Limited-Scope X-Ray Techs in the Urgent Care Setting