BCBSNC’s investment will allow FastMed to build additional physician-owned urgent care sites, which will increase patients’ access to these services and potentially reduce costs. Specifically, patients with non-emergency needs who visit the ED can be treated effectively at urgent care centers at a lower cost.
The total average cost of an ED visit in North Carolina is nearly $1,500, while an urgent care clinics visit averages $142.20, according to BCBSNC. The insurer’s data show a 5 percent shift from ED use to urgent care centers could reduce medical spending by $8 million annually, according to the release.
FastMed urgent care centers offer electronic medical records, electronic prescriptions and digital X-rays, and can treat minor conditions such as splinting and suturing. Many clinics also have on-site pharmacy services, according to the release.
More Articles on ED Utilization:
Managing the Care Transition: The Impact of the ED Disposition Decision
Study: Quick Diagnosis Units Less Costly Than Hospitalization
Top 10 Diagnoses for One-Time ED Users and Super-Users in New York City
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