Outpatient care is becoming a popular alternative to inpatient care. Rather than waiting to make an appointment with a primary care physician or spending hours in an emergency room, patients are seeking care at freestanding outpatient clinics. Urgent care clinics in particular can be a more practical alternative to emergency departments — where emergency departments specialize in life- or limb-threatening treatments, urgent care clinics are better suited to treating patients experiencing fevers, sprains, fractures, and other minor concerns.
The popularization of urgent care clinics can also ease overcrowding and long wait times in emergency rooms. Emphasizing the difference in care provision between emergency departments and urgent care clinics can also improve care outcomes by ensuring patients are seen in a timely manner. However, patients in some regions visit emergency departments because they feel they have no other choice. Rural patients may visit an emergency room for treatment of chronic pain or illness for fast relief, particularly if a patient is uninsured or does not have access to transportation.
In the following list, we highlight the urgent care clinics with the largest patient populations. Texas clinics dominated the list, with 8 of the top 25 located in the state. Georgia is the second most represented state with 3 clinics. Essentia Health System, Memorial Hermann Health System, Next Level Urgent Care, and Edward-Elmhurst Health System all had multiple clinics on the list. Only 2 listed clinics did not belong to a larger network.
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| Urgent Care Clinic Name | State | Total Population | Network | Explore This Dataset | |
| 1. | Memorial Hermann Urgent Care - Katy | TX | 33,201 | Memorial Hermann Health | Explore This Profile |
| 2. | Next Level Urgent Care - Cinco Ranch | TX | 33,201 | Next Level Urgent Care | Explore This Profile |
| 3. | Preferred Urgent Care | TX | 33,201 | Explore This Profile | |
| 4. | Texas Childrens Urgent Care - Cinco Ranch | TX | 33,201 | Texas Childrens Urgent Care | Explore This Profile |
| 5. | Memorial Hermann Urgent Care Fulshear | TX | 33,201 | Memorial Hermann Health | Explore This Profile |
| 6. | Exceptional Urgent Care Center | FL | 29,677 | Explore This Profile | |
| 7. | Next Level Urgent Care - Long Meadow | TX | 28,537 | Next Level Urgent Care | Explore This Profile |
| 8. | NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care - Pearland | TX | 26,843 | NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care | Explore This Profile |
| 9. | CityMD - Baychester | NY | 26,588 | CityMD Urgent Care | Explore This Profile |
| 10. | Statcare Urgent Care - Bronx Bartow Mall | NY | 26,588 | Statcare Urgent Care | Explore This Profile |
| 11. | Edward-Elmhurst Health Center and Immediate Care - Oswego | IL | 26,230 | Edward-Elmhurst Health | Explore This Profile |
| 12. | Edward-Elmhurst Walk-In Yorkville | IL | 26,230 | Edward-Elmhurst Health | Explore This Profile |
| 13. | Memorial Hermann Urgent Care Benders Landing | TX | 25,252 | Memorial Hermann Health | Explore This Profile |
| 14. | Essentia Health Walk In Clinic - 52nd Avenue | ND | 23,686 | Essentia Health | Explore This Profile |
| 15. | Essentia Health 7 Day Clinic - Osgood | ND | 23,686 | Essentia Health | Explore This Profile |
| 16. | Winter Garden Centra Care | FL | 22,670 | Florida Hospital Healthcare | Explore This Profile |
| 17. | American Family Care - Spring Hill | TN | 21,763 | American Family Care | Explore This Profile |
| 18. | Vanderbilt Health and Williamson Medical Center Walk-In Clinic Spring Hill | TN | 21,763 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center System | Explore This Profile |
| 19. | Doctors Care - Ivy Hall | SC | 20,842 | Doctors Care | Explore This Profile |
| 20. | Peachtree Immediate Care - Buford | GA | 20,655 | Peachtree Immediate Care | Explore This Profile |
| 21. | ChoiceOne Urgent Care - Hamilton Mill | GA | 20,655 | ChoiceOne Urgent Care | Explore This Profile |
| 22. | Buford Family Practice & Urgent Center | GA | 20,655 | Buford Family Practice & Community Family Practice | Explore This Profile |
| 23. | The Iowa Clinic - Ankeny | IA | 20,422 | The Iowa Clinic | Explore This Profile |
| 24. | UnityPoint Clinic Urgent Care - Ankeny Medical Park | IA | 20,422 | UnityPoint Health | Explore This Profile |
| 25. | CareNow - St Lucie West | FL | 20,218 | CareNow | Explore This Profile |
Fig 1. Data from Definitive Healthcare based on clinic self-reporting and reports from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).