Role of the urgent and emergency care hospital

My background is in both general practice and emergency care. Since the inception, urgent care has been a part of our basic philosophy. A concern, question have you, is whether our business model is in direct conflict of our referring hospitals, which we have look to as not only clients but colleagues? The reality is that a vast majority of the services we provide can be accomplished at a primary care facility. What separates us from general practice is often simply a matter of convenience or need by the client.

Patterns of competition have been defined as progressing with time. As services become “more efficient, functional and reliable” – that is when services are deemed more than adequately covered by all providers, then the measure of QUALITY becomes “defined by convenience, speed and responsiveness.” Further stated, “Every job has functional, emotional and social dimensions.” Client service is centered on the ability to deliver upon the needs and expectations of the client. Companies that success, are ones that can match the needs of these specific “dimension”1.

Are we competing? Or is our role is to meet a demand and expectation for service? Technology and innovations such as in-house diagnostic laboratory tests, assays, improvements in surgical techniques and imaging are all leading to leveling the playing field with management of many disease conditions. This holds true for general practices, emergency care, specialty and tertiary care facilities.

From the emergency hospital perspective: We do not operate as an “emergency only” facility, as this is really not a defined statement. What is an “emergency?” Look to human medicine, a significant portion of what is provide is indigent care, service for people who have no primary care doctor and folks with immediate needs – are all (or any) of these cases emergencies? The services we provide matches our human counter-parts – receiving strays, clients in financial hardship and folks that are seeking immediate care make up a reasonable amount of our caseload (comes with the territory)

As has already been stated, much of what we (emergency hospital) offer is a matter of meeting an immediate need and certainly supporting client concerns (addresses the functional and emotional dimension).

Clients call us because they have a need. Perhaps they have already called their “regular” doctor and have been referred to us because no appointments are available or the referring hospital has determine that we are best equipped to meet that particular need. We have an obligation to supporting the need and accommodation the request to the best of our ability. The benefit that we offer to our colleague is a line of communication back to the referring hospital and support in assisting client when the primary doctor is not available.

1From: Innovator’s Prescription, Christensen, CM et al 2009, McGraw-Hill, New York Chapter 4 on Disrupting the Business Model of the Physician’s Practice