From the Guidelines
The top 10 reasons for urgent care overuse in the US are primarily driven by lack of primary care access, after-hours care needs, and convenience, as well as misunderstanding of appropriate care levels and non-emergency conditions, as noted in recent studies 1.
Key Factors Contributing to Overuse
- Lack of primary care access: Many patients struggle to get timely appointments with their regular doctors.
- After-hours care needs: Urgent care centers offer extended hours when primary care offices are closed.
- Convenience: Urgent care locations are often more accessible and have shorter wait times than emergency rooms.
- Lower costs: Urgent care visits are typically less expensive than emergency room visits for non-life-threatening conditions.
- Misunderstanding of appropriate care levels: Patients may not know when to use primary care, urgent care, or emergency services.
- Non-emergency conditions: Many visits are for minor illnesses or injuries that could be handled in primary care settings.
- Immediate test results: Urgent care centers often provide on-site diagnostic services with quick turnaround times.
- No appointment necessary: Walk-in availability appeals to patients seeking immediate care.
- Insurance coverage: Some insurance plans have lower copays for urgent care compared to emergency room visits.
- Perceived quality of care: Patients may believe they'll receive faster or better care at urgent care centers.
Addressing Overuse
To address this overuse, healthcare systems should focus on improving primary care access, educating patients about appropriate care settings, and implementing telemedicine options for non-emergency issues, as suggested by recent research 1. Patients should be encouraged to establish relationships with primary care providers for ongoing health management and to use urgent care only when truly necessary for non-life-threatening conditions outside of regular office hours. By prioritizing primary care and educating patients, we can reduce the overutilization of urgent care services and improve overall healthcare outcomes, ultimately reducing morbidity, mortality, and enhancing quality of life 1.
From the Research
Top Reasons for Overutilization of Urgent Care Services
The top reasons for overutilization of Urgent Care (UC) services in the United States can be summarized as follows:
- Convenience and timely care: Patients choose UC due to the ability to receive same-day care without the need for an appointment 2
- Lack of a regular physician or source of care: Many patients lack a regular physician or source of care, leading them to seek care at UC centers 2
- Perceived urgency of medical need: Patients may perceive their medical need as urgent, leading them to seek care at UC centers rather than primary care 3, 4
- Barriers to primary care: Barriers such as difficulty accessing primary care when ill or lack of availability of primary care physicians can lead patients to seek care at UC centers 3, 4
- Benefits of UC: Patients may prefer UC due to the ability to receive same-day test results, medications, and care without the need for a copayment 2
- Insufficient knowledge regarding navigation of the healthcare system: Patients may not understand how to navigate the healthcare system, leading them to seek care at UC centers rather than primary care 3
- Deflection of care: Patients may be deflected from primary care to UC centers due to various factors such as lack of availability of primary care physicians 3
- Economic reasons: While not the primary reason, economic factors such as lack of copayment may also contribute to the overutilization of UC services 2
- Accessibility and availability: UC centers are often more accessible and available than primary care, leading patients to seek care at these centers 5, 2
- Patient engagement and education: Patients may not be adequately engaged or educated about their healthcare options, leading them to seek care at UC centers rather than primary care 6