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News flash: Some kids don’t like to go to the doctor. Which means parents sometimes have to decide between dragging an unwilling child into your clinic and weighing whether their child’s symptoms really do merit immediate attention. Neither outcome is optimal. An urgent care clinic in Bellmore, NY has hit on an inspired way to make the doctor’s office a little less intimidating, though. Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care recently invited families to bring their child in on a Saturday with a favorite stuffed animal in tow. Clinicians used them to demonstrate what goes on during a physical exam, even asking children to describe any injuries or symptoms they were concerned the toys might have. Promoted through local media, the event had the added benefit of introducing the location to anyone who hadn’t been there before in a very community-minded, family-friendly way.

Making Urgent Care Child-Friendly Can ‘Bear’ New Patients—and Profits