UCA

United States – October 21, 2026 -- Urgent care operators must prove quality, outcomes and cost to keep growing, according to UCA Chief Executive Officer Steve Sellars, who says roughly half a million patients use the sector every day.

Partners will demand evidence on quality, utilization and cost

Sellars says access alone will no longer satisfy health systems, employers and payers. He expects them to ask for evidence of quality, outcomes, appropriate utilization, patient experience and cost.

He argues that the organizations that thrive will not be those that see the most patients or run the most centers. They will be those that understand how urgent care fits into the wider healthcare ecosystem.