There are over 7,000 urgent care centers in the U.S. This number could be higher than this if retail medical clinics are to be classified in the same categories as urgent care centers. It is evident that the urgent care industry is growing rapidly, this can be seen with the opening of the new urgent care centers yearly.
While there is no doubt that the industry will continue to expand, it is crucial for professionals who are considering opening up an urgent care center to keep in mind. These features have enabled urgent care centers such as urgent care Royal Oak to succeed.
The features include:
- Location
Location is an essential factor when it comes to an urgent care center. Even before the center is established, the urgent care owner should evaluate the location carefully.
- The location should be clearly visible from busy roads and highway
- The urgent care should not be too close to other urgent care centers
- It should be located in a populated area; people visit centers which are near their homes.
- It should be easily accessible with ample parking
Failure to consider these points might lead to a shortage of customers, or the urgent care center might be short-lived.
- The staff
In every organization, staffs are usually the most significant asset. Likewise in an urgent care center. At the initial stage of the center, the owners should avoid hiring too many staffs because at this stage, there are few customers. Urgent care center can take up to a year to gain traction and get known in the community.
By overstaffing in the first few months of the center’s establishment, the urgent owner may put the center in a poor financial position. Urgent centers should also strive to keep their staff. Patients don’t like a case where each time they visit the center they are met with new faces.
- Accreditation and Certification
Any urgent care center should be accredited or certified. The center should be accredited or certified by The Urgent Care Association of America [UCAOA]. Possession of accreditation or certification shows excellence and a commitment to safety and a high quality of care. Besides, when a center is accredited or certified, it provides reassurance to the patients and community that the urgent center abides by UCAOA standards of operations.
- Operating for longer hours
An excellent urgent care center should operate for a longer time. Most of successful urgent care centers operate late into the evening, on weekends, or some even operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is particularly important for a newly opened urgent care center to offer late or weekend hours of operations.
- Modern technology
Any successful urgent care center should invest highly in technological resources. A versatile practice management software system and sound technology are crucial elements of an efficient urgent care center. Proper electronic documentation will help to prevent coding errors and improper payment of claims. It is also advisable to hire an experienced IT service provider.
