During the past year, factors such as the aging population and increased demand for healthcare services have driven the rise of urgent care centers, according to a HealthCare Appraisers 2013 report.
Low barriers to entry and attractive revenue opportunities have resulted in a consistent increase in the number of urgent care centers, and 47 percent of those currently in operation were developed within the last five years, according to the report.
Here are some key statistics on the state of the urgent care center market:
1. The average urgent care center saw 342 patients per week as of 2011, according to the Urgent Care Association of America. Additionally, the average center experienced an increase of 28 additional patients per month.
2. Average reimbursement for an urgent care visit is approximately $103 per patient, compared with $302 per patient on average in a hospital emergency department, according to the report.
3. Roughly 60 percent of all urgent care centers have a wait time of less than 15 minutes to see a physician or mid-level provider, and 65 percent have a physician on-site at all times.
4. A physician or a group of physicians owns approximately 50 percent of urgent care centers.
5. The urgent care center market is highly fragmented, according to HealthCare Appraisers. Most operators own fewer than three centers and don't have a dominant market presence.
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