The Evolution of Urgent Care: Is Click-and-Mortar a Better Model?

Urgent care storefronts have become ubiquitous throughout NYC over the past decade thanks to CityMD, GoHealth, and others. For many of us, they have served as a convenient way to access care on demand - a novelty in healthcare until recently - and avoid expensive, time-consuming visits to a hospital ER. COVID expanded the scope of urgent care centers as important testing and vaccination sites. The pandemic also spurred the development of even more tech-enabled urgent care models, such as Carbon and Ready Responders, among others.
As we enter the post-COVID era, with the explosion of virtual care offerings and on-demand primary care locations at CVS, Walgreen’s and WalMart, urgent care operators are under pressure to adapt business models to meet today’s reality. Our panel examined the market dynamics and discussed what changes they are incorporating to ensure scalability, value, and long-term success. We also looked at how technology can be used to increase efficiency, reduce the burden on clinicians, and improve care journeys for patients.