Working in Urgent Care

[R Sterling]

Hi!

I am going to be graduating from residency this summer, and I am planning on working in urgent care when I get out. I have a couple of questions about contracts and such I would like to get some answers for from those who have worked in the urgent care setting.

I wanted to know, do employment contracts for urgent care practices usually limit you in working elsewhere? Meaning, if I were to work 3-4 days a week in the urgent care, I am not allowed to work elsewhere while employed there?

Also, can you negotiate to work as a 1099 contractor vs on a W2 as an employee?

Do urgent care facilities pay by the hour or salary? Also, what is the average hourly salary these days? I'm planning on living in the Southeast when I get out, just outside a major metro area.

Is there anything else I should look out for when it comes to looking for urgent care jobs?

Thank you.

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[VA Hopeful Dr]

Most of the ones I've seen are hourly, here in SC around $100/hr. Almost all are W2 positions, ask for more than that if doing as a contractor. Most also don't want you working elsewhere without letting them know first. Basically you have to say "I also want to do some work at X", as long as its not another UC they don't seem to mind.

That said, my current job won't let me do paid work elsewhere (I can volunteer all I want) but they pay a fair bit more so it balances out.

My current shop is actively hiring. Shoot me a PM if you have any interest.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Many urgent cares are part of a bigger entity and if that is the case, you should be able to work as much as you want at more than one of their sites.
Most in Oregon are @100/hr. Some are hourly, some are RVU, some have insurance as part of the package, some do not. If you do salary, hopefully your contract includes a bonus incentive of a percentage of what you bill.

 

[MedicineMan99]

Just be careful of the "Non Compete" clause. Urgent Cares are notorious for strict clauses, especially in large cities with lots of different Urgent Cares where they want to minimize their competition.

 

[styphon]

In upstate NY the average is 100/hr, they mostly are W2 employers as it is becoming a popular position. My urgent care position does not have a "non compete" cause, and I work weekdays with another company/organization.

What would be the best if you plan on staying in urgent care is some path to become a shareholder/partner - but these are very rare.

 

[rachmoninov3]

My employer is actually very flexible. It's a large hospital owned entity and allows me to do 3 days urgent care and 2 days hospitalist. Noncompete was pretty much just let us know before working elsewhere.

 

[psychMDhopefully]

The express urgent care centers are popping up all over my state, can you work in one of them full time? I don't see why any one would though 100$ seems low, when our residents are signing for 240k base plus rvu bonus for instate work.

 

[DocBlin]

NY average between $100 to $130/hr
FL average $80 to $100/hr
The difference is you do not take home problems from FM practice...

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

NY average between $100 to $130/hr
FL average $80 to $100/hr
The difference is you do not take home problems from FM practice...

But you work evenings and weekends... that and the work is usually just horrible unfulfilling.

 

[primadonna22274]

I make $100 an hour as a resident working urgent care. No way am I going to continue to do that as an attending for the same pay. I worked 2 different jobs this weekend--my old PA job in a rural ED that is chronically understaffed and overburdened, with the absolutely most miserable EMR (for EM) I have ever used. Since I'm now a physician I get paid $100/hr for the education but I'm working under my PA license and credentials with on-site attending backup. Every time I work there I remember why I don't work there anymore. I worked far, far harder Friday night there than I did in our resident fast track shift at my program's ED Saturday night. Same pay to see 3 low-acuity patients. Boring but I got my own charts caught up.
There are many different reasons I chose not to do an EM residency, and lack of continuity is one of them. I would still rather take my patients home with me as a family physician than worry "what if?" in ED or urgent care. I'll probably continue to do a little of both, but less.

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[VA Hopeful Dr]

I make $100 an hour as a resident working urgent care. No way am I going to continue to do that as an attending for the same pay. I worked 2 different jobs this weekend--my old PA job in a rural ED that is chronically understaffed and overburdened, with the absolutely most miserable EMR (for EM) I have ever used. Since I'm now a physician I get paid $100/hr for the education but I'm working under my PA license and credentials with on-site attending backup. Every time I work there I remember why I don't work there anymore. I worked far, far harder Friday night there than I did in our resident fast track shift at my program's ED Saturday night. Same pay to see 3 low-acuity patients. Boring but I got my own charts caught up.
There are many different reasons I chose not to do an EM residency, and lack of continuity is one of them. I would still rather take my patients home with me as a family physician than worry "what if?" in ED or urgent care. I'll probably continue to do a little of both, but less.

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Lots of us will work a few shifts of urgent care on weekends to both make some extra money and keep up our acute care skills - lots more suturing at urgent care than my own clinic.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

We only get 65$/hr so be happy about the 100$/hr

 

[psychMDhopefully]

Lots of us will work a few shifts of urgent care on weekends to both make some extra money and keep up our acute care skills - lots more suturing at urgent care than my own clinic.

Is urgent care more of a job for moonlighting residents or do people do it full time? MGMA survey says there are some people getting paid 350k-450k for urgent care work, how is that possible? Usually I see theses places and its hard to take them seriously as a place to get medical care, they are usually at strip malls next to pet stores or something.

 

[primadonna22274]

We only get 65$/hr so be happy about the 100$/hr

I got 65/hr as a PA. My group pays BC docs 150-200/hr so they're willing to pay me as not yet BE 100/hr as an overqualified PA. I know my value and there is no shortage of work for me. Never has been.
This is the southeast where salaries are a bit higher.

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[Doctor4Life1769]

I got 65/hr as a PA. My group pays BC docs 150-200/hr so they're willing to pay me as not yet BE 100/hr as an overqualified PA. I know my value and there is no shortage of work for me. Never has been.
This is the southeast where salaries are a bit higher.

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I'm in the southeast too - saturated market. Moonlighting residents here get 65/hr. "Take it or leave it" is the motto. I'm just saying, be happy with the 100/hr, because I'd love to make that much.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Is urgent care more of a job for moonlighting residents or do people do it full time? MGMA survey says there are some people getting paid 350k-450k for urgent care work, how is that possible? Usually I see theses places and its hard to take them seriously as a place to get medical care, they are usually at strip malls next to pet stores or something.

I did it full time for a year at $135ish/hour. The other hospital system in town pays on production (wRVU of $40). Those guys/gals see around 50-60 patients/day. Everything in urgent care can easily be a level 4 (1.5 wRVU) so 1.5*50*40 = $3000/day. Assume 12 days/month for 12 months and we're talking over 400k/year.

Now that being said, 50-60 patients in a 12 hour urgent care shift is a pretty terrible life (been there done that) so burn out is very high. But, its doable.

 

[styphon]

But you work evenings and weekends... that and the work is usually just horrible unfulfilling.

I did it full time for a year at $135ish/hour. The other hospital system in town pays on production (wRVU of $40). Those guys/gals see around 50-60 patients/day. Everything in urgent care can easily be a level 4 (1.5 wRVU) so 1.5*50*40 = $3000/day. Assume 12 days/month for 12 months and we're talking over 400k/year.

Now that being said, 50-60 patients in a 12 hour urgent care shift is a pretty terrible life (been there done that) so burn out is very high. But, its doable.

The urgent care I work at averages 40 to 60 patients / 12hr shift (by yourself), for 100$/hr. You will see lots of people who 'know their body' and demand abx, people who are hypochondriacs, and people who think they have the "disease of the month" (currently zika virus, before that Ebola, before that ALS).

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

The urgent care I work at averages 40 to 60 patients / 12hr shift (by yourself), for 100$/hr. You will see lots of people who 'know their body' and demand abx, people who are hypochondriacs, and people who think they have the "disease of the month" (currently zika virus, before that Ebola, before that ALS).

I did some recent moonlight for $100/hr, but never saw over 40 in that time. 60 patients at that rate is just insulting.