urgent care Utilization

Extended stays in the emergency department have been a long-standing concern for the patient and their families. The emergency department's annual volume and patient acuity level were utilized to determine the urgent care need in Southwest Michigan. The emergency department landscape is for higher acuity conditions (sicker patients). The number of patients seen in the emergency department for non-emergent conditions is above 30% annually. These patients in the emergency department with lower acuity conditions can be treated in an urgent care setting. Caring for these patients in an urgent care setting improves patient satisfaction and decreases the dependence on the healthcare system.

Helping Hands is working diligently on the back end to help lessen the load of the emergency department and better the satisfaction of those needing non-emergency services. Soon, Helping hands will continue to grow in phases of the areas needed most, such as Urgent Care. We will strive to break down the barriers of the ED and provide shorter wait times for non-emergent care.