Practice Management Articles

Alan Ayers, MBA, MAcc Urgent Message: Legislation for the licensure of urgent care centers has been enacted or proposed in 4 states for 2025, creating state administrative offices that can further define rules affecting operations. Citation: Ayers AA. State Legislation Could Impact Urgent Care Facilities. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(7):43-45 Several states have recently proposed rules calling for the regulation of urgent care centers. While most of the bills have a long journey ahead before possible enactment, urgent care owners and operators should be aware of this push for …
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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 repeat visits and viral word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied patients, including positive online reviews and social …
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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 are significant, negatively impacting the bottom line of the business. When mistakes happen, urgent care …
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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 there was a contraction in growth, can the industry be considered “mature?” Maturity certainly doesn’t …
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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 chains like Walgreens, CVS, and Rite-Aid have closed thousands of stores while also abandoning billion-dollar …
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