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Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health is expanding locations as part of a broader strategy that includes in-person urgent care, digital urgent care, and new emergency access points. The nonprofit system currently operates 50 urgent care centers through a joint venture with NextCare Urgent Care and is continuing to invest in new growth in the market, as reported in Becker’s. Alongside these services, the organization plans to open 4 small-format neighborhood emergency hospitals in North Texas over the next 2 years. The small-format hospitals have emergency departments and inpatient beds, and patients who need a specific type of care can be transferred to other Baylor Scott & White locations if needed. According to the report, the system conducted market research before selecting the locations that leaders believe are most in need of access to immediate care.
Multiple entry points: Urgent care centers remain an important front door for hospital systems by offering care for lower-acuity conditions, while patients who require higher-acuity care can be referred to an emergency department (ED) in the system. The Baylor Scott & White Health strategy aims to integrate urgent care, digital urgent care, and emergency services to create multiple entry points into the health system. A tool in the system’s patient-facing app called “Help Me Decide” guides patients toward the best level of care, ideally reducing the number of low-acuity presentations in the ED.