Providing preventive care in an urgent care setting: Guide for urgent care clinical team members (Healthy Blue + Medicare (HMO D-SNP))

Please note, this communication applies to Healthy Blue + Medicare℠ (HMO D-SNP) offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC).

Urgent care centers are typically reserved for emergent and after-hours treatment but, for some members, they also serve as a primary care provider. Urgent care providers can be instrumental in preventive care delivery if they speak to their members about primary care provider connection during their visit and the role annual wellness visits play in living a healthy life.

As An Urgent Care Provider, You Can:

• Talk with your patients about connecting with their primary care provider following an urgent care visit for continuity of care.
• Ask members when their last annual wellness visit was and reiterate the visit’s importance to living a long, healthy life.
• Reiterate that work physicals are not annual wellness visits and that they still need to see their primary care provider for a comprehensive visit to address preventive health needs.

If Your Urgent Care Offers Preventive Services, You Can:

• Be mindful that you may not see that patient for their next appointment and that they may be establishing care with the practice rather than with yourself as an individual provider.
• If the patient does have an established primary care provider, make sure to capture their information to share the after-visit summary.

To learn more about our commitment to health equity, visit My Diverse Patients. If you have questions about your annual planned visit rates, please contact your Blue Cross NC representative.

For more information, visit Healthy Blue + Medicare.