The Health Effects of Urgent Care Center Entry: The Case of WellNow

• In Event: Access to Health Care

Abstract

In this paper, we uses multiple sources of data to study the effect of the entry of WellNow urgent care centers (UCC) in the state of New York on individual health outcomes and health care access. Using a staggered difference-in-differences approach, we show that the opening of a new urgent care center leads to better self-assessed health for individuals living in that particular county. We also find evidence of a decreased strain on the local healthcare system, as the opening of a nearby WellNow facility leads to shorter hospital waiting times and increased likelihood that individuals have a timely routine checkup.

Author

• Eliane H. Barker, Hamilton College
  Presenting Author