With stripmall ERs, convenience has a price

Patients mistaking them for urgent care centers can develop wallet pains.

By Healthcare Facilities Today


With stripmall ERs, convenience has a price. They are run by medical entrepreneurs and are popping up in strip malls across the country. They can make a lot of money because they charge ER prices. 

A visit that might have cost $200 at an urgent-care center can cost four or five times as much at an ER. Many patients who mistake them for urgent-care centers get sticker shock when the bill comes, according to a story on NPR.org.

"They are usually set up in places where there are high-income patients who are well-insured and who want to see someone quickly," says Vivian Ho, a health economist at Rice University in Houston, Tex.  They're not being built in poor neighborhoods, rural communities or areas with lots of uninsured people.

Read the article or listen to the story.

 

 



August 22, 2013


Topic Area: Interior Design


Recent Posts

Redefining What Mental Health Facilities Look Like

A new Mental Health and Addictions Center uses design and architecture to challenge the stigma and create a more open model of care.


Managing High-Volume Laundry Operations 

Tips and tricks one director has learned in three decades of managing a large, high-volume laundry operation.


University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Falls Victim to Vendor Data Breach

A health information network named “Health Gorilla” improperly accessed medical records available through the national network used to exchange medical information.


Optimizing the Engineering Design of Ambulatory Care Facilities

Designing cost-effective engineering systems is not about minimizing investment but about investing strategically.


Construction Completed on Washington Health Urgent Care Facility in California

The design team maximized the existing footprint to accommodate five exam rooms, a dedicated procedure room and an X-ray room.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.