Intuitive Health CFO: The Case for Combining ER & Urgent Care

When patients aren't sure how serious their symptoms are, they default to the ER — and health systems absorb the cost. There's a better way to route patients to the right care, without making them figure it out themselves.

Let’s face it — when patients are unsure how serious their symptoms are, their first impulse is often to head straight to their local hospital’s emergency department. But that uncertainty creates real challenges for health systems.

Not only do clinical teams have to shift resources to manage these visits, but patients themselves experience long wait times for issues that could be resolved more efficiently in lower-acuity care settings.

The financial impact is also significant—unnecessary ER visits mean higher bills for patients, lost revenue from uncompensated care, and rising costs for health plans. It’s not just frustrating for the people we serve, but an ongoing headache for your bottom line.

Health systems need a way to route patients to the right care without making them figure it out in the middle of a stressful situation. That’s where we step in at Intuitive Health. With our combined emergency and urgent care model—all under one roof—patients never have to wonder where to go. They walk in, and we make sure they get exactly the care they need, whether it’s an emergency or something more routine. No more guesswork, no more bouncing between locations, and they’re ONLY billed for the level of care they receive. This ensures payers and patients aren’t on the hook for inflated ER costs when urgent care is appropriate. This approach keeps emergency beds available for those who truly need them, reduces financial pressure all around, and builds long-term trust with your patient community.

Hear from Intuitive Health CFO Garett Jackson on the HFMA Podcast

Intuitive Health CFO, Garett Jackson, recently discusses how our combined care model helps health systems tackle bottlenecks, improve financial results, and enhance patient experiences.

Hear more in the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) Voices in Healthcare Finance podcast and be sure to listen to the full conversation with host Erika Grotto.