PeaceHealth Latest to Join Health System Urgent Care Trend

Health systems are increasingly investing in express care strategies to expand their reach deeper into their communities as well as cut costs. Health systems are seeking to connect with the patient at all levels of care and are creating their own urgent care centers and often affiliating themselves with retail clinics.

Urgent care centers can help health systems bridge the primary care gap for patients with high-quality care for common illnesses and non-life-threatening episodic events such as sprains, broken bones, flu, colds, and other common illnesses.

Urgent care centers provide immediate care, screening, and diagnostic services. They provide walk-in, extended-hour access for acute illness and injury care that is either beyond the scope or the accessibility/ availability of the typical primary care practice or clinic.

PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is one of the most recent health systems to join this growing trend. PeaceHealth is a nonprofit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a multi-specialty medical group practice with more than 1,200 physicians and providers, and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest.

PeaceHealth and ZOOM+Care^® have signed a definitive agreement for PeaceHealth to acquire ZOOM+Care. PeaceHealth and Zoom^® will provide access to a continuum of care that offers consumers more choice and convenience in how they receive healthcare services, ranging from mobile app-driven services and neighborhood clinics to sophisticated specialty and hospital services. 

Founded in 2006, ZOOM+Care has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of people annually in 37 neighborhood clinics in Oregon and Washington, providing a full range of healthcare services, as well as innovative telemedicine services.

Under the terms of the agreement, ZOOM+Care will operate under its own brand name with separate leadership and board of directors and will further its focus on innovation, consumer experience and expanding access.