III. Industry Analysis
The Urgent Care Centers industry is expected to continue to grow at a steady pace over the next five years.
A major driver of the industry is the aging population, coupled with a rising number of insured individuals due to healthcare expansion. Furthermore, as urgent care centers offer a less-expensive and time-saving alternative to emergency room visits, insurers are expected to increasingly implement incentives for patients to visit industry operators. As a result, industry revenue is forecast to grow at an annualized rate of 5.9%.
The shortage of primary care physicians in the United States is expected to drive patients toward urgent over the coming five years. Other factors, such as appointment wait times and the ability of primary care physicians to accept new patients, will influence demand for urgent care centers.
