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.
Urgent care defines its role between primary care and the emergency department
Sellars rules out urgent care as a replacement for primary care, which he says patients need for chronic disease management and preventive care. Hospitals and emergency departments remain essential for higher-acuity services.
He places urgent care in the gap between those settings. Clinicians evaluate illnesses and injuries, run diagnostic tests, provide occupational health services and identify patients who need a higher level of care.
Referrals and coordination are meant to cut emergency department use
Sellars describes a model in which a visit reconnects the patient with primary care, helps a health system avoid unnecessary emergency department use, gives an employer's workforce faster access to appropriate care and flags patients needing specialized treatment.
UCA backs credibility push with advocacy and data
UCA is pursuing benchmarking, quality standards, industry data and advocacy. Its Bring Congress to Urgent Care campaign invites policymakers into centers to see the quality, access and value the sector delivers.