Make Sure Vacationers in Your Area Can Find You

Whether your location is fixed in a resort town or a couple of blocks off the interstate, it’s likely people from other areas will be passing through or spending some time nearby this summer. Some of them are going to catch a fish hook to the finger, eat tainted seafood, or be struck with the same URIs they’d be prone to back home. (In fact, insurance industry estimates hold that 20% of people will become sick or injured while on vacation.) You should be the urgent care operator they find easiest to find and visit while they’re away from home. Billboards and roadside signage can help drivers with a sick child in the car; forging relationships with hotel operators, state and local tourism centers, and the local drugstore will keep your location top-of-mind in your community. Make sure your search-engine optimization and online presence are working in your favor, too; with smartphones and tablets being nearly ubiquitous, the first suitable healthcare provider a traveler comes across is likely to see that patient. (And if your urgent care center is part of a larger organization, with multiple locations across the state or beyond, you may end up securing a loyal repeat customer.) One note: Be sure your pricing and payment arrangements are clear. Cash may be the preferred method of payment for nonresidents, as dealing with insurance companies and collections from out of state may be difficult after the fact.