Growing New England urgent care chain and region’s largest healthcare system align to increase efficiency and lower costs for patients

QUINCY, Mass., June 04, 2015 – CareWell Urgent Care and UMass Memorial Health Care today announced a new affiliation that improves access to coordinated healthcare for patients in Central Massachusetts.

CareWell centers treat patients for non-life-threatening—but still urgent—illnesses or injuries, including colds, infections, fractures, cuts, rashes, allergic reactions and the flu. Centers offer select preventative care services, including flu shots, vaccinations and sports physical exams, and have on-site X-ray and lab capabilities. With the new affiliation, effective June 1, CareWell patients will have easy access to UMass Memorial Health Care specialists and hospitals when necessary. UMass Memorial patients will have access to convenient, high quality urgent care services, reducing wait times and costs for non-urgent patients.

The first two UMass Memorial-affiliated CareWell Urgent Care centers, located at 500 Lincoln Street and 348 Greenwood Street in Worcester, will open on July 15. A third site, planned for Northborough, is slated to open in October. Additional affiliated sites throughout central Massachusetts will open over the next 12-18 months.

Urgent care centers are rapidly gaining popularity across the United States as an alternative to emergency room care. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, there are approximately 9,000 urgent care centers in the United States, with 40 percent expecting to expand their existing site or add another site. CareWell, the largest single provider of urgent care services in New England, anticipates opening more new clinics in 2015.

“We are very excited to launch this new alliance with UMass Memorial Health Care,” said CEO Shaun Ginter. “Patients can often be treated with the same quality of care, and much more quickly, at an urgent care center than in emergency rooms. This affiliation means our patients will get the care they need in the most efficient way possible.”

“As the largest health care provider in the region, UMass Memorial Health Care understands the importance of urgent care in the spectrum of health care services today’s consumers expect,” said Eric Dickson, MD, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care.” This affiliation will help integrate care by establishing relationships between UMass Memorial emergency departments; primary care physicians and medical specialists, and CareWell Urgent Care providers.”

All CareWell locations are open 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week. Additional information can be found at carewellurgentcare.com/.

About CareWell Urgent Care

Established in 2012, CareWell Urgent Care (care provided by Carewell Urgent Care Centers of Massachusetts, PC) is a leading provider of accessible, efficient neighborhood healthcare. CareWell is committed to changing the delivery of healthcare in America by providing on-demand, high quality, affordable care. Our approach is patient-centered, with Board-certified physicians on-site at all times and an emphasis on full collaboration with the patient’s regular healthcare team. CareWell Urgent Care has centers in Billerica, Cambridge, Framingham, Lexington, Needham, Norwell, Peabody, South Dennis and Tewksbury, Mass, as well as Warwick, R.I., with additional centers slated to open throughout New England in 2015.

About UMass Memorial Health Care 

UMass Memorial Health Care is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Central Massachusetts with more than 12,900 employees and 1,670 physicians, many of whom are members of UMass Memorial Medical Group. Our member hospitals and entities include Clinton Hospital, HealthAlliance Hospital, Marlborough Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Community Healthlink, our behavioral health agency. With our teaching and research partner, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, our extensive primary care network and our cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular, and musculoskeletal programs, UMass Memorial delivers safe, high-quality and compassionate care. 

Call 855-UMASS-MD (855-862-7763) for all your health care needs. Visit umassmemorialhealthcare.org

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For more information:

Greenough Communications on behalf of CareWell Urgent Care

Karen Laverty

617-275-6516

klaverty@greenough.biz