UNC Health to Open Freestanding Emergency and Urgent Care Facilities

New model for immediate care will reduce costs for patients, and improve access

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Aug. 14, 2025 –UNC Health, in partnership with Dallas-based Intuitive Health, plans to open a network of freestanding facilities with emergency departments and urgent care clinics under one roof.

This is a new model for immediate medical care in North Carolina and is aimed at improving access to care. It will also reduce costs for patients by making sure they are quickly directed to the right place for the care they require.

UNC Health plans to submit plans for Certificate of Need review and approval starting in August for two facilities in Wake County (Raleigh and Apex) with plans to expand in the coming years.

The centers will include a full-service emergency department and urgent care, equipped with on-site lab equipment and a radiology suite that includes X-ray and CT scanners.

These combined emergency & urgent care facilities have proven successful in other markets around the country, including Florida, Texas and Kentucky with upcoming footprints in South Carolina and Virginia. This strategic collaboration with Intuitive Health, a pioneer in combining emergency and urgent care services, ensures patients receive exceptional, immediate care when they need it.

“This partnership represents a significant advancement in our mission to enhance the health and well-being of all North Carolinians,” said Dr. Cristy Page, interim CEO of UNC Health. “These state-of-the-art facilities will complement the care already delivered through our hospitals and clinics statewide, reduce unnecessary emergency visits, and improve the overall patient experience.”

Emergency departments across the country continue to be overutilized by patients who could be more appropriately treated in an urgent care setting, limiting access for those in need of immediate, life-saving care or creating longer wait times. When patients arrive at the future freestanding facilities, they will be evaluated by a board-certified emergency physician to determine the appropriate level of care, eliminating the guesswork for people when deciding between the emergency department and urgent care.

UNC Health will continue to encourage all patients to use primary care providers for non-urgent needs. The new, freestanding facilities will treat patients and then direct them to a primary care practice for any follow-up care. Patients who require inpatient care will be admitted to a UNC Health hospital.

“By combining urgent care with emergency services under one roof, UNC Health and Intuitive Health are providing a more convenient, more efficient model of care that meets patients where they are,” said Thom Herrmann, CEO of Intuitive Health. “Patients no longer need to choose between ER and urgent care, they can come to a single location and get excellent care, in a highly efficient environment, while only paying for the level of care that they actually need.”

About UNC Health

UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 20 hospitals and more than 900 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine.

It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching and research mission of the UNC School of Medicine. UNC Health provided more than $800 million in Uncompensated Charity Care during the past five years. Our hospitals have received numerous awards and recognition for quality care, patient safety, and the overall patient experience. For more information, please visit unchealth.org.

About Intuitive Health

Founded in 2008, Intuitive Health pioneered the combined emergency room and urgent care model. Intuitive Health partners with established health systems nationwide to build, operate and launch retail healthcare facilities that provide urgent care and emergency room services under one roof. Intuitive Health partners with leading health systems nationwide, including Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Intuitive's patient-centric approach to immediate care has saved payors and patients hundreds of millions in unnecessary emergency care spending. In addition, the Intuitive Health model increases market share for partnered healthcare systems by expanding their footprint with conveniently located centers. For more information, please visit IHERUC.com.

# # # # #