The push by healthcare systems toward urgent care has led to a clinic boom in western South Dakota, according to an article on the Kansas City Star website.
A new clinic is being added and two existing operations will soon move to larger facilities to accommodate the surge in patients. The expansion follows a national trend driven by long waits for doctor's appointments, overcrowded emergency rooms and an increasing patient demand for accessible, after-hours care, according to the article.
"Urgent care is a natural evolution. What we are doing is taking our services out into neighborhoods and trying to provide a more convenient setting for health services," said Mike McGrath, director of clinical service for Regional Health physicians. "The convenience and flexibility of urgent care facilities is the way of the future."
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