The Urgent Care Niche in the Healthcare Franchise Market

By; Christine Dura

Instead of trying to fit primary care physician visits into hectic schedules or visiting an emergency room for non-threatening accidents and minor illnesses consumer are increasingly seeking out treatment from healthcare franchise models. Easy access to specialized and urgent care centers have resulted in a shift in consumer behavior and the healthcare industry is changing to supply the demand. Urgent cares are incredibly popular options for consumers looking for affordability, convenience and quality. The healthcare franchise model is also becoming popular among smart entrepreneurs who wish to capitalize on the lucrative opportunity that is the healthcare franchise model.

Over the last decade healthcare costs skyrocketed, clinician margins shrank, and regulatory constraints increased healthcare franchising emerged and urgent care locations began to dot the landscape. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, UCAOA, in 2007 there were approximately 8,100 urgent care centers in operation the United States alone. Consumers seek out urgent care facilities because;

Their increasingly busy lives are not conducive to standard primary care physician’s practice hours of operation
Others lacked geographic access to primary care, and
Many could not afford traditional healthcare insurance coverage premiums, deductibles, and/or co-pays

Another positive of healthcare franchise models is that consumers are more likely to know the cost of treatment, or be able to estimate it, prior to treatment. Like their retail counterparts, most healthcare franchises post their pricing on-line or on common area signage. Further, urgent care costs are overall cheaper than traditional systems.

Consumers are driving the surge in urgent care franchise popularity. Patients are also becoming need to aware of when, and where, to seek alternative treatment. General urgent care centers cannot serve all illnesses and injuries. This is why specialized urgent care services are emerging. Using the health care franchise model to access specialized services is a key differentiator. This unique selling proposition is creating more franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs to access at the ground level.

Consumers will seek to continuously improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness when it comes to health treatment. Savvy business people and medical professionals both realize that generalized and specialized healthcare franchises are the solution.

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.

Developing an OrthoNOW Franchise