As more ambulatory and urgent-care clinics spring up across the region, health care providers see it as evidence the industry is evolving at a brisk pace.
“You’re just seeing a lot of things that used to be in the hospital that are out in the community,” said Dr. Steven Lampert, president of Lifespan Physician Group Inc.
Although the shift isn’t new, recent growth in Rhode Island is attention-grabbing.
Lifespan Corp. announced Aug. 8 that it has plans to open an urgent-care center in Warwick, followed by more in other locations.
Care New England Health System has said it hopes to add more ambulatory care services on the Butler Hospital campus in Providence to supplement a clinic at the former Memorial Hospital campus in Pawtucket. Thundermist Health Center has expanded its clinics in Woonsocket and West Warwick.
In addition to plans for urgent-care clinics, Lifespan expects to open an infusion center in Smithfield. Expanded pediatric services and other specialty outpatient clinics are planned in Lincoln as well. That’s in addition to existing outpatient services for cardiology, neurology and numerous other specialties and conditions.
Southcoast Health System Inc. in Massachusetts has opened seven urgent-care centers within the past three years in response to a spike in emergency room visits. As a result, the system says, emergency room use for minor issues has flattened, and its urgent-care centers are busy.
The issue is not just improved technology and convenience, says Dr. Ronnie Brownsworth, president of the Southcoast Health Network.
“I think there is a real pressure on us and our industry to continue to try to find ways of taking care of people in new environments,” Brownsworth said. “How we deliver health care is going to be changed in the coming years based on what the retail market is driving us to.
“Online appointment bookings, wait time, all these are components that come to us from the retail world,” Brownsworth said.
As health systems prepare for the “silver tsunami,” or influx of patients 65 and older from the baby boom generation, a significant amount of care is likely to take place outside of hospital settings, industry specialists say.
“I think we’ll see more services, but different services,” said Dr. Peter Hollmann, chief medical officer at Brown Medicine. “The bottom line is that hospitals are becoming more high-tech facilities where you need lots of different people doing things.”
Hollmann is leading an effort at Brown Medicine to create a home-visit program for older patients with a variety of needs, from preventative care to specialized services.
“The single thing we lack in Rhode Island is this home-visit stuff,” Hollmann said. “It saves some money, but it’s especially just good for patients.”
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Graham@PBN.com.