Should standalone EDs use ‘urgent care’ in names?

Becker's Healthcare June 24, 2024
Mackenzie Bean

KFF Health News’ latest investigation into surprise medical bills poses an intriguing question for the industry: Should freestanding emergency departments be able to use “urgent care” in their names?

Dallas-based Parkland Health and Hospital System operates a freestanding emergency department on its campus called the Urgent Care Emergency Center. The center opened in 2015 to supplement its main ED, located about 40 yards away, which records the most visits of any hospital nationwide. Though the facility includes heavy signage to inform patients about its status as an emergency room and associated fees, some patients and experts claim the inclusion of “urgent care” is misleading.

One such patient, Tieqiao Zhang, visited the facility twice last December and was diagnosed with...

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