Alternatives to Practical ER Care

Urgent Care Franchises: The Revolutionary Alternative to Practical ER Care

By: Christine Dura

The way people seek medical care has evolved over time. From the doctor who does house calls to the current urgent care franchise model, the landscape has changed drastically. The convenience of the urgent care franchise has revolutionized the way patients seek and receive medical treatment for minor injuries and ailments.

Starting in the 1970s when the first locations opened, urgent care facilities have been providing patients with an alternative to  emergency room visits for minor health care needs. Many of the original urgent care centers were, in fact, opened by emergency room doctors who saw a need for an interim level of care. Emergency rooms were overrun with those who did not have a primary care physician but fell ill, resulting in longer wait times and higher costs for all.

When patients visit an urgent care franchise location, they’ll find shorter wait times and can almost certainly save money over the typical emergency room visit. Urgent care facilities treat anything from a cold to simple sprain and can provide care for any age.

Urgent care centers not only provide excellent care and cut costs for those needing minor medical treatment, but they’re an excellent business investment as well. As a result of these benefits, business owners have been investing in the urgent care franchise model at a rapid pace. What started as a small, unique service has grown to a flourishing industry, with nearly 10,000 urgent care clinics nationwide today.

In addition to being able to provide excellent medical care at reasonable costs, the urgent care franchise model offers built-in support. When a business owner opts to open an urgent care franchise, they immediately receive a support system to help get through the headaches of insurance and billing to provide a quality service to the consumer.

Besides relieving accounting headaches, the urgent care franchise model also exhibits significant investor and consumer growth. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, 87% of urgent-care-center operators acquired or built a new location in 2014, and  89% of those operators said patient visits increased in 2014 from the previous year.

The modern-day medical landscape is set to serve patients in the ways they want. At an urgent care franchise, a patient can be seen at a convenient time, without a long wait, and for a reasonable cost. Less people are opting to keep a long-term relationship with a primary care physician. Consumers want medical care that is mobile and readily available. Urgent care franchises are satisfying those needs without sacrificing quality.

OrthoNOW is the first and only Orthopedic franchise. Contact Christine Dura at Christine@orthonowcare.com for more information about franchise opportunities.

Christine has over 25 years of quantifiable executive management and franchise related leadership experience within the US and internationally with notable franchise startups in the service, technology, retail, food, health and wellness, financial service, medical care, technology and professional services.   As a Senior Franchise Executive and Entrepreneur, Ms. Dura has been both an individual contributor and has successfully led world-class teams.

Ms. Dura excels at partnering with all core business operations to significantly increase the company’s foot print, expand market share, and generate sustainable revenue and EBIT gains.  Her proven successes, combined with her Master Degree in Training and Development, have shaped Ms. Dura’s uncanny ability to identify opportunities, build mutually rewarding partnerships and produce remarkable results. 

In addition, as a four-time Master and Unit Franchise Owner, Ms. Dura is in a very unique position to leverage her experiences and reputation at all levels in franchising along with her vast personal and professional investor network to drive immediate and long term results.   As OrthoNOW’s Chief Development Officer her role is to identify critical gaps in franchise growth and implement strategies to drive results. Her unique background allows her to leverage past experiences and solid reputation to spearhead OrthoNOW’s national expansion plans.