Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina announced an investment in FastMed Urgent Care to promote appropriate use of emergency departments.
BCBSNC's investment will allow FastMed to build additional physician-owned urgent care sites, which will increase patients' access to these services and potentially reduce costs. Specifically, patients with non-emergency needs who visit the ED can be treated effectively at urgent care centers at a lower cost.
The total average cost of an ED visit in North Carolina is nearly $1,500, while an urgent care clinics visit averages $142.20, according to BCBSNC. The insurer's data show a 5 percent shift from ED use to urgent care centers could reduce medical spending by $8 million annually, according to the release.
FastMed urgent care centers offer electronic medical records, electronic prescriptions and digital X-rays, and can treat minor conditions such as splinting and suturing. Many clinics also have on-site pharmacy services, according to the release.
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BCBSNC's investment will allow FastMed to build additional physician-owned urgent care sites, which will increase patients' access to these services and potentially reduce costs. Specifically, patients with non-emergency needs who visit the ED can be treated effectively at urgent care centers at a lower cost.
The total average cost of an ED visit in North Carolina is nearly $1,500, while an urgent care clinics visit averages $142.20, according to BCBSNC. The insurer's data show a 5 percent shift from ED use to urgent care centers could reduce medical spending by $8 million annually, according to the release.
FastMed urgent care centers offer electronic medical records, electronic prescriptions and digital X-rays, and can treat minor conditions such as splinting and suturing. Many clinics also have on-site pharmacy services, according to the release.
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