URGENT CARE INDUSTRY WHITE PAPER - Essential Nature of Urgent Care in the Healthcare Ecosystem - Post-COVID-19 August 2023

Sep 23, 2026

Urgent Care industry overview for the United States in the post-COVID-19 period, explaining the model’s essential role in the healthcare ecosystem. Using industry statistics and operational details, it covers center growth, patient volume and payer models, services including diagnostics, occupational health, telehealth, and satisfaction. The paper analyzes how Urgent Care eases emergency department burden and enables access, integration, and quality improvements, then outlines future advocacy, opportunities, threats, and technology considerations for value-based care and population health.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time9 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Urgent Care Industry

Integration and Collaboration

Access to Care

The Future of Urgent Care

Conclusion

About UCA

Endnotes

URGENT CARE INDUSTRY WHITE PAPER The Essential Nature of Urgent Care in the Healthcare Ecosystem Post-COVID-19 August 2023 Table of Contents I. Introduction ...................................................................................... 2 II. Urgent Care Industry Number of Urgent Care Centers ..................................................... 4 Geographic Distribution ......................................................................5 Patient Volume & Mix…………………………………………………………………..8 Payer Mix/Payer Models .................................................................... 9 Services in Urgent Care Centers…………………………………………….…9 Diagnostic Testing ................................................................................ 11 Occupational Health ............................................................................ 12 Telehealth ................................................................................................12 Patient Satisfaction .............................................................................. 13 Ownership Mix………..…………………………………………………………………….13 Staffing ..................................................................................................... 14 III. Integration and Collaboration Easing the Emergency Department Burden……………………..……15 Cost Savings………………………………………………………………………………….17 Integration into Existing Healthcare Systems………………………...17 IV. Access to Care Urgent Care and Access Gaps…………………………………………….……..18 Commercial Payer Issues…………………………………………………………..19 Screening Opportunities to Improve Population Health……...20 Quality of Care…………………………………………………………….……………………21 V. The Future of Urgent Care Urgent Care Advocacy……………………………………………………….……….22 Opportunities and Threats………………………………………………………….22 Technology…………………………………………………………………………………….23 Conclusion Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………24 About UCA……………………………………………………………………………………..24 Endnotes…………………………………………………………………………………………25 INTRODUCTION Since the last UCA White Paper was published in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic flipped the world upside down and highlighted the importance of the Urgent Care model. It was an Urgent Care center that saw the first COVID patient in the U. S. on January 20, 2020 in Snohomish County, Washington.1 Ten days later, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and went on to characterize COVIDas a pandemic on March 11.2 When patients often had nowhere else to turn, Urgent Care centers and staff were on the frontlines of evaluating, diagnosing, and eventually testing and treating these patients. COVID introduced many patients to Urgent Care for the first time. Pre-COVID, a single Urgent Care center saw 32 patients per day, on average. From 2019 to 2020, Urgent Care centers across the United States managed a 60 percent increase in per-center patient visits.3 Post-COVID, patients continue to show us how essential Urgent Care is in their lives – the median number of daily visits to an Urgent Care center was 40 in 2022. What these per-center numbers do not take into account is the nationwide growth in the number of Urgent Care centers during this same timeframe. At the end of 2019 there were 11,481 centers. By the end of 2022 there were 14,075 . This represents an approximate increase in use of Urgent Care from 2019-2022 of over 71 million visits per year. In 2022, Urgent Care centers treated almost 206 million non-emergent cases. In contrast, the nation’s emergency departments see 131 million visits annually.4 While Urgent Care’s fulfillment of an essential part of the healthcare ecosystem is in the spotlight, its federal recognition and support does not reflect such. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, healthcare spending in the U. S. continued to grow, reaching 18.3 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product in 20215 (vs. 17.7 percent in 2019)

FAQs

How has COVID-19 affected patient use of urgent care centers?

COVID-19 increased exposure to urgent care and drove higher per-center visit volumes from 2019 to 2020. By 2022, the median daily visits per center were 40, and annual non-emergent cases reached nearly 206 million.

What role does urgent care play in the broader healthcare system?

Urgent care bridges primary care and emergency care by evaluating and treating urgent but non-emergent conditions. It helps relieve overcrowded and higher-cost emergency departments and supports integration with existing healthcare systems.

Which operational and service areas are covered in the white paper?

The paper covers the number of centers, geographic distribution, patient volume and mix, payer models, diagnostic testing, occupational health, telehealth, patient satisfaction, ownership mix, and staffing.

Sep 23, 2026

Upload by River Wang