The Woodlands Edition | June 2023

BUSINESS Urgent care facility presence grows, demand rising in The Woodlands area

DAILY URGENT CARE VISITS Average urgent care visits per day across the nation stayed elevated after 2020.

Average visits per day

BY JESSICA SHORTEN

According to information provided by the UCA, studies performed by the National Library of Medicine show urgent care centers reduce hospital emergency room visits by 17% within a given area. “It’s denitely a way for people to only use the emergency room for true medical emergen- cies, which is really helpful,” Regan said. “Our emergency room doctors should take care of the sickest patients.” Information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from a 2021 report states the

While several major hospitals such as Memorial Hermann, Houston Methodist and St. Luke’s call The Woodlands area home, it has not stopped growth in urgent care and free-standing clinics in the region. “Urgent care really is that solution for a patient when they can’t get their primary care oce during the day or ... in the evening or weekends,” said Dr. Victoria Regan, who works in the Memorial Hermann GoHealth Urgent Care system. ciation, a trade organization, there has been a 60% increase in urgent care visits since 2019. While the pandemic played a large part in increased visits, the number of overall patients in urgent cares has remained above 2019 prepandemic levels. Memorial Hermann has opened three separate GoHealth and primary care facilities separate from its main towers in The Woodlands area since March. In addition, a Davam Urgent Care opened on March 17 at 25245 Kuykendahl Road, Tomball, in The Woodlands area. Urgent care and primary care are two dierent services, but both aim to free up space within the main hospital systems, Regan said. Urgent care is geared toward immediate health issues, such as small wounds, u symptoms or other quickly identiable issues that can be treated quickly. “Those [urgent care] oces are used as an exten- sion of those primary care oces to help meet your needs without you having to go [to] the expensive emergency room, and then ... have that wait and all that other exposure that goes along with being in the emergency room,” Regan said. According to nationwide 2022 data from the Urgent Care Asso-

2019

2020

2021

WHO USES URGENT CARE? Urgent care and retail clinic usage at least once a year is generally higher among younger ages. Urgent care and retail clinic use at least once a year Men Women

demographics of people using urgent care are higher among people under 45 years old than people 45 and older. The use of urgent care facili- ties by younger populations has been key to ensuring hospital emergency rooms are open and available for patients in severe condition, Regan said. Most urgent care centers are also prepared to handle pediatric

“URGENT CARE REALLY IS THAT SOLUTION FOR A PATIENT WHEN THEY CAN’T GET TO THEIR PRIMARY CARE OFFICE DURING THE DAY.” DR. VICTORIA REGAN, MEMORIAL HERMANN GOHEALTH URGENT CARE

Percentage of age groups

27.5%

18-29

38.9%

28.1%

emergencies, she said. “Medicine and pediatric medicine are dierent, and that applies to even what type of testing you would do for common symptoms. So having a pediatric provider there to assess your child and manage that symptom for you and then refer you back to your pediatrician knowing that you’ve gotten the correct care versus incorrect care that can cause potential harm,” Regan said. While urgent care use has dropped since 2020, the UCA predicts the need will continue to rise for the near future. Projections from the organization state the daily volume of clinics could rise another 23% before settling again. Regan said the steady increase in urgent care locations will more than likely continue to be a major benet for local hospital systems and residents.

30-44

34.3%

25.4%

45-64

28.8%

21.4%

65+

26.2%

SOURCES: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS JUNE 2021, URGENT CARE ASSOCIATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

For a map and listings of urgent care centers, free-standing emergency rooms and retail clinics, see Pages 30-31.

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THE WOODLANDS EDITION • JUNE 2023