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Download the article PDF: One Voice One Vision
In last month’s column, I wrote about the importance of proving Urgent Care’s value—not just in terms of access and convenience, but also in demonstrating the quality outcomes and systemwide impact that make our care essential to patients, payers, employers, and policymakers alike. Over the past several weeks, I’ve had the privilege of hearing from many of you who share this same commitment and are eager to help strengthen Urgent Care’s position in the healthcare landscape. Your stories, data, and perspective are critical, and they continue to shape how UCA approaches its work on your behalf.
As I reflect on those conversations, one theme keeps emerging: Urgent Care is at its best when we are united. Whether it’s advocating for fair reimbursement, addressing regulatory burdens, or advancing clinical best practices, we are stronger when we speak with one voice. Our collective story is far more powerful than any single data point, and the more we align around our shared value, the harder it becomes for stakeholders to ignore.
That’s why UCA is placing an even greater emphasis on data and storytelling in the months ahead. We’re working closely with our advisory groups and external partners to identify the metrics that matter most—whether it’s reducing avoidable emergency department visits, improving patient satisfaction, or demonstrating cost savings to employers and payers. Just as importantly, we want to highlight the human side of Urgent Care: the patients who avoided unnecessary hospitalizations, the parents who received after-hours care for their children, the employees who returned to work faster thanks to timely occupational health services. These are the stories that bring the data to life.
I also want to emphasize that UCA cannot do this work in isolation. Your participation is essential. If you’re collecting outcomes data, piloting innovative care models, or seeing trends in your market that reflect Urgent Care’s value, I encourage you to share them with us. Together, we can build a more compelling case that positions our industry not as an alternative, but as an indispensable part of the healthcare system.
More Opportunities
Looking ahead, we have an exciting lineup of opportunities to deepen these conversations. Our Regional Chapter Conferences this fall have been an energizing reminder of how much insight and momentum comes from connecting with peers, and that local engagement matters.
And of course, we’re already planning for our 2026 Urgent Care Convention at the Historic Hilton Chicago in April—a chance for the entire Urgent Care community to gather, learn, and push the industry forward.
The challenges we face are real—rising healthcare costs, workforce shortages, regulatory hurdles—but so is the opportunity. Urgent Care has proven itself time and again as a responsive, resilient, and innovative care model. Now, it’s time to take the next step: to prove our value, tell our story, and ensure our place as a trusted and respected part of American everyday healthcare.
I look forward to continuing this work with you. UCA is here to support you. Thank you for all you do every day to elevate and advance the field of Urgent Care.
