Summer is here, which means families are out hiking, biking, and kids will be participating in summer sports, potentially bringing more injuries to your urgent care center. Your center will most likely see a decrease in flu/cold visits and an influx of injuries related to summer activities or sports.

Some common injuries that are seen in higher volume would be knee and ankle injuries from soccer and baseball, cuts and abrasions due to sliding on grass and gravel, and shoulder and wrist issues because of falls or throwing.

We want your urgent care to thrive during all seasons, which is why we wanted to touch on two ways your urgent care can handle the seasonality and get your patients back out having fun!

Preparation

The key ingredient to success during a busy season is preparation. When you know that summer is going to involve more injuries, prepping your center is what will keep your staff moving forward and patients happy.

One way to prepare is by making sure your staff has access to educational materials to refresh themselves on procedures. Competency in knee and ankle wraps, cut and abrasion care, and shoulder and wrist care can result in faster turn around times for patients. Revisiting these procedures will reinforce training for providers and staff members so they can care for patients with confidence.

Another way to prepare is to make sure you have the appropriate amount of durable medical equipment (DME). Even though the injuries that urgent care centers see may vary, centers can assume that they will need more compression devices, crutches, hot and cold packs, braces, as well as supplies for splinting and casting. We don’t advise clients to order a significantly higher amount, but ordering some extra of these items will help your center give quality care to patients when they need it, leading to a positive experience.

Marketing Tactics

Success during the summer months also means letting the community know you’re ready and available to help in times of need. This is the perfect opportunity to capitalize on marketing tactics that promote center services related to injuries. If your urgent care is open on the weekends and also has extended hours, this will be of value to parents who are traveling or are in a bind when their child is unexpectedly injured.

This could be as simple as sponsoring summer sporting events promoting your services, partnering with a business at their employer picnic and having a first aid station, or handing out water at a 5K. Finding creative ways to let the public know that your center can help is what will drive more traffic and lead to patient loyalty.

At Urgent Care Consultants, we want your urgent care to be well-prepared for busy months and find new, creative ways to help the community. Contact us today if you are interested in learning more!