AUCAA Mission: To promote the common business interest of medicine through Ambulatory and Urgent care facilities and to promote professional interest in and understanding of Urgent Care Centers in the service area of this Association.

What is an Urgent Care Center?
An Urgent Care center serves walk-in patients and does not require an appointment. Urgent care centers are generally open seven days a week from eight to twelve hours per day. Urgent care centers offer a broad array of services such as Radiology, Laboratory, on-site dispensing of prescription medications, procedure rooms for lacerations and fracture care, examination room, and may offer services for employer’s Worker’s compensation needs. Urgent Care Centers (UCC’s) are one of the fastest growing practices in medicine because (1) emergency departments (ED’s) are overcrowded and (2) people often do not have timely access to their primary care physician.

Facts about Urgent Care
Eight-five percent of the public is generally healthy and in need of convenient, affordable access to medical care for minor illnesses and injuries. Urgent Care facilities provide convenient, quality, affordable access to medical care for non-life threatening injuries and illnesses. The facilities complement existing primary care physician practices by offering care when the physician schedules are full or after normal office hours.

Financial Impact
Urgent Care has and will continue to have a profound impact on the reduction of cost associated with the inappropriate use of the hospital emergency department for non-life threatening care. A recent study conducted in Maricopa County by St. Luke’s Health Initiatives concluded that approximately 50% of the illnesses and injuries presenting for care could have been easily handled in either a primary care or Urgent Care setting. The average bill for hospital Emergency Department’s is approximately $850 versus $175 for an Urgent Care. The reimbursement on these charges is $367 for an Emergency Department versus $75 for an Urgent Care. These figures have a profound effect on the cost of care provided and on rising insurance premiums. Most Urgent Care centers offer cash discounts for uninsured patients. With rising health care costs putting more financial burden on the individual, Urgent Care centers will be a more important component of the health care safety net.

Physician Shortage
Arizona is faced with an increasing shortage of primary care physicians. Figures in the St. Luke’s Health Initiative report point to an alarming shortage in Maricopa County with this area having only 130 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents. This figure compares with metropolitan areas of like size throughout the country having approximately 585 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents. The malpractice and managed care issues locally mean less primary care physicians are choosing to practice here. Urgent Care centers can fill the gap left by this physician shortage while still keeping down the cost of this care.

Health Plan Participation
The majority of Urgent Care centers in the State accept most major insurance plans, participate with AHCCCS, are providers for Medicare, and do work related injuries. Urgent Care centers typically offer cash discounts for payment at the time of service.

Education
One of the primary goals of the Association is to educate the public and help them become aware of their healthcare options. As policy makers and the media address the healthcare crisis in Arizona, they need to recognize that the UCC industry represents one significant solution to problems such as ED overcrowding and lack of timely access to primary care physicians due to shortages.

Licensing
UCC’s are required to be licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services, and must meet current outpatient treatment center standards to remain licensed. The Association is working with the Arizona Department of Health rules makers to implement more specific requirements for Urgent Care Centers. The Association is also working with national Urgent Care organizations on accreditation requirements.