Tracking Urgent Care Visit Volume

Early 2026 Signals Elevated and Sustained Demand

The latest 2026 data reinforces that urgent care demand remains both seasonally driven and structurally elevated, with performance continuing to outpace prior-year benchmarks.

  • Urgent care demand remains tightly linked to flu season—but is now structurally higher overall
  • Early 2026 shows strong peak performance with a higher sustained baseline
  • Growth is being driven by both seasonal illness and broader care utilization trends
  • Regional variability persists, requiring localized operational strategies
  • Predictable lag effects continue to support forward-looking staffing and capacity planning

The current flu season, the CDC estimates that there have been at least 29,000,000 illnesses, 360,000 hospitalizations, and 23,000 deaths from flu so far this season.

Last Updated April 3, 2026

Line graph showing 7-day average visits per clinic per day for PVP in 2024 and 2025 projections (blue and green lines) and actuals (red line) from January to December 2025.

Visits Per Clinic Per Day

28 Average Daily Visits Per Clinic

At the start of 2026, visits per clinic per day (VCPD) surged into the mid-to-high 30s, aligning with a sharp increase in flu positivity across the U.S. Several states reported flu positivity rates exceeding 25–30%, particularly across the Midwest and Mountain West. Compared to early 2025, peak volumes in 2026 appear comparable but more sustained, with fewer sharp drop-offs immediately following peak weeks.

Source: Experity data

Line graph showing daily clinic visits, flu tests, and flu test positivity rates from May 2021 to May 2023, highlighting seasonal peaks in flu activity each winter.

Visits per clinic per day VS. Flu Seasonality

Flu Positivity Down 4% Since Mid-February

As first quarter’s end, we’re seeing fewer positive lab results for flu. The 7-day rolling average for flu positivity is down from 21% in mid-February. As flu activity began to moderate, visit volumes declined.

Source: Experity Data

A map of the United States shows state-by-state flu positivity rates in varying shades of green, ranging from 5% to 30%, with percentages labeled on each state.

Flu Positivity

Upper Midwest Sees More Positive Flu Cases

Over the last month, our maps have turned a much lighter shade of green all across the country, but flu season is not over yet. A handful of western and midwestern states across the are still reporting flu positivity over 25%.

Flu activity in early 2026 is:

  • Widespread nationwide
  • Most intense in central and western regions (20-30%+ positivity
  • More moderate in parts of the Southeast

This uneven distribution continues to create localized demand surges, emphasizing the need for:

  • Flexible staffing models
  • Region-specific forecasting

Source: Experity Data

Map of the U.S. and parts of Mexico and Canada showing flu positivity data by state for the last 7 days, with orange circles indicating lab counts and positivity rates by location.

Flu Testing Heat Map

Flu Hot Spots

According to our data, the highest concentration of flu activity resulting in lab testing and positive diagnoses is across the eastern and southeastern U.S.

Bar chart showing average daily clinic visits by category (Flu, Covid, Respiratory, Other) from October to March, with totals ranging from 25.9 to 33.5 visits per day.

Visit Case Mix

Respiratory Drives Peaks, but Core Demand is Broad

While respiratory illness remains the primary catalyst for seasonal surges, it is important to note that the majority of visits are still driven by non-respiratory conditions. “Other” visit categories account for the largest share of volume year-round, reinforcing the role of urgent care as a broad access point for episodic healthcare needs, not just a destination for flu and COVID-related care.

The visit category breakdown continues to show “other” visits (~18–19 per day) as the dominant contributor; respiratory visits (~10–13 per day) expanding during peak periods; and flu and COVID representing a small but high-impact share. Even during peak flu activity, most visits are unrelated to flu, reinforcing that urgent care’s growth is not dependent on seasonal illness alone.

Resources to Revitalize your Urgent Care Business

Check out some of our top resources to help urgent cares manage and leverage fluctuating visit volume to secure continued business growth throughout the year.