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Health systems take over Optum urgent care clinics

Two health systems are taking over urgent care clinics previously managed by Optum's MedExpress Urgent Care.

Pittsburgh-based UPMC and the national chain GoHealth Urgent Care have formed a new joint venture that will take over operations at an unspecified number of MedExpress centers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, a UPMC spokesperson confirmed with Becker's

In spring 2025, UPMC Urgent Care and UPMC Express Care will become UPMC-GoHealth Urgent Care. During the transition, MedExpress, UPMC Urgent Care and UPMC Express Care locations will continue to operate under their current names.

There are 48 MedExpress clinics in Pennsylvania, 21 in West Virginia and 15 in Virginia, according to the company's website.

"The new UPMC-GoHealth Urgent Care centers will provide convenient access to lower-cost high-quality health care, particularly for vulnerable populations outside of the emergency room setting," the spokesperson said. "This will bring more ambulatory services — such as unscheduled and primary care, women’s health, orthopedics and radiology — directly to communities that need them." 

In July, Newark, Del.-based ChristianaCare also partnered with GoHealth Urgent Care on five new urgent care clinics in Delaware that were previously managed by MedExpress, the Delaware Business Times reported.

GoHealth manages more than 250 urgent care centers across 14 states, according to its website. The company is owned by TPG and has partnerships with 11 health systems.

UnitedHealth Group's Optum purchased Morgantown, W.V.-based MedExpress in 2015 for $1.5 billion. In 2023, MedExpress clinics eliminated all registered nursing positions at nearly 150 facilities.

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