Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Shorter Visits Drive Greater Patient Satisfaction in Urgent Care

Urgent Message: Urgent care has long marketed itself as providing immediate care for acutely rising conditions, and true to this reputation, an analysis of clinical and administrative variables in electronic medical records shows the greatest predictor of patient satisfaction is visit duration. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Citation: Ayers AA. Shorter Visits Drive Greater Patient Satisfaction in Urgent Care. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(6):37-43 As a retail delivery channel, urgent care depends on future …

Documentation Excellence: The Trifecta

Brad Laymon, PA In the dynamic environment of urgent care (UC) medicine, precise, and thorough documentation serves as a cornerstone for both clinical and operational success. Beyond merely fulfilling regulatory requirements, documentation excellence has 3 critical functions, which I refer to as the “trifecta:” 1. Improved patient outcomes through clear communication of care; 2. Mitigation of malpractice risk through clear and defensible explanation of medical decision making (MDM); and 3. Accurate description of complexity to …

Dateline: Washington, D.C.

On February 5, a group of Urgent Care leaders returned to our nation’s capital to continue the work toward federal payment reform. The new administration had just settled in, and there were signs of turnover everywhere you looked: offices under reconstruction; evidence of recent unpacking; reporters everywhere; protestors on a few corners; phones ringing off the hook in every office; circles under more than a few eyes; and emotions both high and low on display. …

Urgent Care Rooftop Growth Slowed

The urgent care industry ended 2024 with a total of 14,356 centers, representing an increase of 392 centers or 2.8% net rooftop growth over the 13,964 centers recorded in December 2023, according to data from National Urgent Care Realty (NUCR) and the Urgent Care Association (UCA), analyzed by Urgent Care Consultants. The year-end census represents distinct locations after the removal of closures and the addition of de novos and established centers identified since the prior …

The Legality of Docking the Pay of Urgent Care Employees

Urgent Message: While legal under circumstances outlined by federal and state law, docking employee pay for violating an employer’s policies may be viewed as demoralizing and unethical versus punitive actions like warnings or suspension. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Citation: Ayers AA. The Legality of Docking the Pay of Urgent Care Employees. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(5):41-43 Workers frequently make mistakes on the job. Some are mere oversights that are quickly corrected, while others …

Mind the Gap

It’s believed that Urgent Care (UC) was born early in the 1980s, likely as the brainchild of Bruce Irwin, MD. He was an emergency room physician who saw “many people were coming to the emergency room with problems that could have been cared for in a less expensive and more convenient manner.”1 He opened a facility to do just that, which became American Family Care, the nation’s largest Urgent Care provider. Dr. Bruce Irwin passed …

Starting an Urgent Care in a New Era

Urgent Message: Today, there are very few market opportunities for urgent care that present no competition, so operators must assess not just the existence of local competition but also the nuanced qualities of each competitor. Heather Real Citation: Real H. Starting an Urgent Care in a New Era. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(5)37-39 The urgent care industry has come a long way over the last several decades. With 2024 being the first year where …

Retail Clinic Rooftops Retreat from 2023 Peak

Between May, 20231 and December, 2024, the number of retail-host clinics in the United States fell 21.7% from 1,750 to 1,370, according to data from National UC Realty. Not only did CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart announce significant clinic closures in 2024, there has been little to no growth among the remaining retail clinic operators. The top 5 retail hosts make up 95% of in-store clinics nationally and only 2% of total clinics are in independent …

Reimagining Retail Pharmacy as Major Chains Downsize Offerings

Urgent Message: As retail pharmacies reinvent themselves, urgent care has an opportunity to grow within the shifting market dynamic. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc, is President of Urgent Care Consultants and Senior Editor of JUCM: The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Citation: Ayers AA. Reimagining Retail Pharmacy as Major Chains Downsize Offerings. J Urgent Care Med. 2025 19(4)43-47. Retail pharmacies are at a crossroads. Once the go-to destination for prescriptions and over-the-counter health/beauty merchandise, major …

Provider Compensation Increasing Since 2022

By comparing 2022 and 2024 hourly compensation data from the Urgent Care Association (UCA) Clinician Compensation Benchmarking Report, data shows that there has been a 15% increase in nurse practitioner (NP) and physician assistant (PA) pay. Meanwhile, there was an average 19% increase in physician (MD and DO) pay.1 In 2024, the median reported hourly base compensation (excluding bonuses and incentives) showed an increase compared to 2022 rates across all clinician types. This rise likely …

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