Another Type of Urgent Care Facility Flourishing for Orthopedic Problems

In a recent note, I discussed how primary care practices and hospital-based ambulatory care are now being forced to compete with both walk-in clinics in retail drug stores and urgent care centers (see:Physicians Are Disappearing from the Front Line of Healthcare). I have just learned about another type of first-line competition for physician and physical medicine practices: walk-in, orthopedic urgent care centers (see: Orthopedic urgent care centers to expand). Below is an excerpt from the relevant article:A new orthopedic urgent care center operator is expected to start opening centers in Michigan later this year under the Miami-basedOrthoNOW franchise as demand for convenience and lower prices sweeps the health care industry....Over the past decade, the number of urgent care centers has exploded in Michigan and nationally as patients seek to avoid a steep emergency room bill or visit more convenient health care settings.Data show there are more than 350 urgent care or walk-in clinics in Michigan, including more than 45 within 20 miles of Detroit, according to Urgent Care Locations LLC.....Most health insurers in Southeast Michigan contract with urgent centers because of their lower cost relative to emergency departments. That steady and reliable reimbursement has helped push the expansion of urgent care.Now, a new breed of urgent cares hopes to convince patients with bumps, bruises, sprains, and even simple broken bones to go to the urgent care rather than the e...
Source: Lab Soft News - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Cost of Healthcare Healthcare Business Healthcare Delivery Healthcare Insurance Hospital Financial Medical Consumerism Source Type: blogs