Urgent care clinics could be wave of future in Newton

Urgent care clinics could be wave of future in Newton County

By TOM SPIGOLON

tspigolon@covnews.com

Urgent care clinics have grown in popularity in Newton County and metro Atlanta in recent years amid growing demand for alternatives to emergency rooms and traditional medical clinics.

Piedmont, Northside and other healthcare providers have grown their affiliated network of urgent care centers in recent years as consumers seek medical care less expensive than emergency rooms, more convenient than traditional family care clinics and treat more serious conditions than walk-in clinics.

Urgent care centers are healthcare clinics that offer on-demand medical services and are equipped to treat ailments ranging from the common cold to fractures and wounds.

They also often provide services like blood tests and X-rays.

More than 9,000 urgent care centers operate in the U.S., according to a report by the Urgent Care Association. That figure is up 6% from 2018.

Software company Experity surveyed half of U.S. clinics and found urgent care clinics saw a 58% increase in visit volumes in 2020 alone due to the demand for COVID-19-related episodic care. Testing and vaccinations accounted for more than 60% of total visits, Healthcare IT News reported.

Piedmont Urgent Care by WellStreet is a for-profit entity that is a joint venture with Piedmont Healthcare and the largest in the state by the number of patients it sees, said CEO Ron Lavater.

It has acquired or opened numerous urgent cares in recent years and increased its centers to 40 locations in Georgia as of mid-February 2022, according to the healthcare news website Fierce Healthcare. That includes one on U.S. Hwy. 278 in Covington.

The health care provider advertises “shorter wait times, lower costs, and more personalized care” at its urgent care centers,.

Piedmont Urgent Care is open seven days a week for specific hours each day. It treats “bumps. bruises. coughs. colds” and other “non-life threatening illnesses and injuries, as well as basic healthcare services.”

“For other medical events including stitches and broken bones, WellStreet provides shorter wait times, lower costs, and more personalized care.”

However, Piedmont says an urgent care center should not be used “if you are experiencing a life-threatening injury or illness” and says to call 911 immediately “or head straight to the emergency room.”

Emory Healthcare also has increased its network of affiliated Peachtree Immediate Care centers in recent years and operates one on Brown Bridge Road in Covington.

It opened its 39th and 40th centers after acquiring Reddy Urgent Care locations in Loganville and Monroe in mid-2021.

Peachtree Immediate Care has the largest number of urgent care centers in Georgia, Georgia Health News reported.

In addition, Walmart also has entered the healthcare market with its rapidly growing its chain of Walmart Health clinics, which are a cross between urgent care and traditional medical clinics with some extra services included.

The national retailer opened its first Walmart Health clinic in Paulding County in 2019 and now operates locations attached to 17 stores in Georgia, including Conyers, Loganville and Monroe in the Newton County area.

Walmart Health offers services at a flat fee, including primary care, dental care, labs, imaging and sometimes offers mental health service and optometric care, CNBC reported.

The clinics often operate in underserved areas because the retailer often serves such areas. They also give patients without broadband access the opportunity to have virtual consultations with a specialist at one of the WalMart Health clinics.

Piedmont Urgent Care by WellStreet is a for-profit entity that is a joint venture with Piedmont Healthcare and the largest in the state by the number of patients it sees, said CEO Ron Lavater.

Special Photo | Piedmont Urgent Care