Brian Solomon wrote about the urgent care boom for a recent issue of Forbes magazine, Drive-Thru Health Care: How McDonald’s Inspired An Urgent Care Gold Rush Solomon shares: “Dr. Bruce Irwin has been in the urgent care business for over 30 years, and he’s never seen anything like the current gold rush. “It’s like we’re in a rock band and all of sudden we have a hit, we’re an overnight sensation. But in reality we’ve been playing in bars and honky-tonks for years. ”
From a marketing perspective, here are two takeaways:
Urgent care is a retail business.
It is imperative to market your practice as convenient, affordable, quality care.
Prospective patients can receive care for non-acute illnesses and injuries close to their home or office. Starbucks is a great comparison. Starbucks provides a welcoming environment with upscale decor and free wi-fi. Today’s urgent care centers are moving away from the “medical clinic” feel.
The competitive landscape is rapidly changing.
New urgent care centers will be opening everywhere.
How are you positioned if a new urgent care opened on your block? What type of reputation does your practice have in the community or online? A strong SEO foundation with positive online reviews can help stave off competition. Participate in community events. This will help match a face with a business. Bringing kids to an urgent care is not so scary when the parents have already met your staff.