Much of the U.S. is getting hammered with winter storms as of this writing, forcing some urgent care operators to decide whether it’s worth it (and safe) to conduct business as usual, close early, or not even open up for the day. Prevea Health in Wisconsin, for one, got ahead of the game by announcing in local media and its own platforms that they’d be closing all locations, including urgent care centers, from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday of this week, probably keeping at least some patients from making a wasted trip in hazardous conditions. Informing employees is a different issue and has to happen even sooner, given that they need to be on site and ready to go before patients arrive. Do you have a system in place to keep everyone informed? If not, Creating an Inclement-Weather Policy for Your Urgent Care Center is essential (and timely) reading. The article, currently available in our archive, spells out who should have the authority to make the decision, criteria to consider, methods to inform the public, and optimal procedures for ensuring everyone on your team is on the same page.
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When the Elements Shut You Down, You Need a Plan for Your Patients—and Your Team