More hospitals are launching hybrid emergency departments and urgent care facilities to attract patients, The Washington Post reported Aug. 1.
In the past year and a half, Jacksonville, Fla.-based UF Health has opened three dual centers that offer both types of care 24/7. They do so through a partnership with private equity-backed Intuitive Health. UF Health is one of roughly a dozen health systems in 10 states partnering with the company to run hybrid ED-urgent care facilities. VHC Health in Arlington, Va., is also planning to build a hybrid facility this year.
In the partnership, the hospitals handle medical staff and billing and Intuitive manages administrative functions and nonclinical staff. Physicians triage patients and determine whether urgent or emergency care is needed. Patients are informed of their decision, sign a consent form if the need is emergency care, and then they are billed according to the level of care. About 70% of patients at the facility are billed at urgent care rates, hospital authorities told the Post.
No research has been conducted on the new model, but consumer advocates worry hospitals are more likely to route patients to costlier emergency care.
Thom Herrmann, CEO of Intuitive Health, told the Post that the hospitals have an incentive to find low-cost ways to treat patients due to the recent push for value-based care.
UF officials said patients pay only for the level of care that they need and can opt out of ED care with a small triage fee. The hybrid model also allows UF to increase profits by attracting more patients, according to the Post.