The urgent care market is expected to grow steadily in the coming years, driven by a continued push to redevelop outdated retail space into urgent care facilities and new construction. According to Data Bridge Market Research, “the urgent care market will experience a compound annual growth rate of 5.35% between 2022 and 2029.”

This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including an aging population, the increased prevalence of chronic diseases, and the rising cost of healthcare. In addition, the introduction of new technologies, such as telemedicine, is also helping to drive growth in the urgent care market.

Consumer demand for convenience has reached an all-time high, particularly among younger generations. According to a 2019 Harmony Healthcare IT survey, nearly 25% of millennials haven’t visited a primary care physician (PCP) in five years or more, with about one-third saying that getting a physical just isn’t convenient. For this reason alone, more and more younger patients are opting for urgent care centers that offer walk-in appointments for real-time needs, including COVID testing and non-emergency health issues.

In 2020, urgent care clinics saw a 58% increase in visit volumes due to the demand for COVID-19-related episodic care, according to the latest research from urgent care software company Experity. Of the 28 million patients who visited these clinics in 2020, almost 16 million were seeking care for COVID-19-related symptoms or concerns. Testing and vaccinations accounted for more than 60% of total visits, with testing alone accounting for 42% of all visits. The remaining 18% of visits were for other episodic care needs such as flu or strep throat. The increase in visit volumes was driven by both new and existing patients, with new patient volume increasing by 37% and existing patient volume increasing by 19%.