The medical care business is one of the most flourishing businesses in the United States, with statistics boasting over $4 trillion in spending.
In the past few years, urgent care franchises have been earning enormous tractions and revenue across the United States, generating $14.5 billion annually.
We are a convenience society, and nobody wants to waste time waiting in the doctor’s office.
The desire for instant help is one of the reasons why urgent care clinics hit the scene in the 1970s to meet a significant need for people struggling with minor injuries or illnesses that doesn’t allow them to put up with long waiting times in emergency rooms.
Seeing the initial success of the urgent care concept, healthcare providers and entrepreneurs saw the opportunity to invest in one of the top industries, and the idea propagated from there.
If you’re interested in investing in one of the most profitable sectors of the economy, it’s a great time to make that investment, as the industry is offering abundant franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs.
In this article, we have put together a list of the 10 best urgent care franchise opportunities you may want to consider before making a final decision. Let’s dive right in!
10 Best Urgent Care Franchise Opportunities
Here are the 10 best urgent care franchise opportunities to consider in the United States:
1. American Family Care Franchise
| Founded In | 1982 |
| Franchising Since | 2008 |
| Estimated Outlets | 168 |
| Total initial investment | $125,750-$1,254,500 |
| Franchise Fees | $60,000 |
| Liquidity | $560,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 6% |
American Family Care is a leading provider of convenient and affordable urgent care services for non-critical medical problems.
Founded in 1982 by an emergency room physician, American Family care is famous for being one of the first few emergency clinics in the country where patients can get emergency treatment for less money than they would spend in ER.
American Family offers one of the most affordable and financially competitive franchise opportunities to start your own business, including a single-unit franchise or a multi-unit.
The prospective franchisees are offered comprehensive training and a package of franchise support tools, including customized business software, marketing materials, staffing and physician recruiting services, licensing, territory selection, and ongoing support to ensure you are well-equipped to launch your franchise from day one.
2. ATC Healthcare Services Franchise
| Founded In | 1983 |
| Franchising Since | 1996 |
| Estimated Outlets | 44 |
| Total initial investment | $129,400-$217,400 |
| Franchise Fees | $50,000 |
| Liquidity | N/A |
| Royalty Fees | 1% |
ATC Healthcare Services is a national leader in recruiting healthcare personnel for hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities.
Started by two brothers in 1983, ATC Healthcare has been providing 24/7 urgent recruitment solutions for nearly 40 years.
Dedicated to providing emergency healthcare services across all locations, from schools to hospitals, the company operates through a network of franchise centers.
To become an ATC healthcare service, franchisees don’t need healthcare or staffing experience.
The franchisor provides comprehensive training to the franchisees and supports them with payroll and insurance support to successfully run your franchise.
They have been ranked in Entrepreneurs Franchise 500 based on franchise cost, support, brand strength, and financial stability.
3. MEDEXPRESS Franchise
| Founded In | 2013 |
| Franchising Since | 2015 |
| Estimated Outlets | 145 |
| Total initial investment | $664,000-$903,000 |
| Franchise Fees | $55,000 |
| Liquidity | N/A |
| Royalty Fees | varies |
MedExpress is a well-known neighborhood urgent care center and online doctor that provides quality and affordable medical care.
Founded by the country’s largest insurance company and Optum healthcare division, United Health Group, MedExpress offers a wide range of medical services, including emergency medical care, basic prevention and wellness, and other employer health services. However, they only offer prescription-only medications.
MedExpress is an excellent opportunity to break into this thriving industry and open your urgent care clinic. As a MedExpress franchisee, you’ll be offered initial training and ongoing support.
They also offer location scouting and financial assistance to the franchisees to make the process easier.
4. ARCpoint LABS Franchise
| Founded In | 1998 |
| Franchising Since | 2005 |
| Estimated Outlets | 104 |
| Total initial investment | $156,650-$252,325 |
| Franchise Fees | $49,000 |
| Liquidity | $100,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 7% |
ARCpoint Labs is an urgent care and on-site mobile and in-lab testing center that offers a complete range of reliable and accurate drug, alcohol steroids, DNA, and employment screening tests for individuals and businesses.
With more than 10,000 locations throughout the United States, they are actively looking for franchisees to expand their services to more localities.
With more than 60 years of experience in the industry, ARCpoint has been ranked number one in the lab testing space and 120th out of 4,400 franchise opportunities.
The franchisor offers initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their business.
They also have relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to help franchisees cover startup costs, franchise fees, inventory, equipment, payroll, and more.
Franchisees need to have experience in sales experience as they have to sell directly to the business owner and HR executives.
5. Doctor Express Franchise
| Founded In | 2005 |
| Franchising Since | 2016 |
| Estimated Outlets | 100 |
| Total initial investment | $664,000-$903,000 |
| Franchise Fees | $49,000 |
| Liquidity | $200,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 6% |
Doctor Express urgent is America’s first branded urgent care network that provides essential healthcare services countrywide.
Founded in 2005 by an emergency physician seeking affordable and more effective healthcare services for patients in urgent care, Doctor Express has been catering to people across the country.
They also offer occupational health services such as pre-placement physicals, drug screening, and treatment of work-related injuries.
Their franchise program represents an extraordinary opportunity for physicians and investors seeking to own a business.
They offer prime territories and franchise opportunities throughout the U.S. Franchisees are offered detailed training sessions plus on-site assistance, rights to use their trademark, and a detailed operational manual as they launch the clinic.
6. Paramount Urgent Care Franchise
| Founded In | 2008 |
| Franchising Since | 2016 |
| Estimated Outlets | 100 |
| Total initial investment | $223,300-$438,100 |
| Franchise Fees | $34,000 |
| Liquidity | N/A |
| Royalty Fees | 6% |
Paramount Urgent Care is a walk-in clinic that provides quality and convenient medical care for people in the community with no appointment required.
Founded in 2008, the clinic offers a wide range of services such as treatment for colds and flu, allergies, minor injuries and burns, and physical examination for chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma and angina and heart diseases, and much more.
Acquiring a Paramount Urgent Care practice provides an excellent opportunity to partner with a powerful brand name in the highly competitive industry. Their revenues are growing consistently over the years.
The management has geared the company to provide franchise owners with the knowledge, training, and consistent support to meet and surpass expectations.
7. GNC Franchising
| Founded In | 1935 |
| Franchising Since | 1988 |
| Estimated Outlets | 6,019 |
| Total initial investment | $149,722-$388,630 |
| Franchise Fees | $40,000 |
| Liquidity | $85,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 6% |
GNC Franchising is one of the leading retailers of health and wellness products in the United States.
Founded in 1935, GNC offers a broad range of products, including dietary supplements, vitamins, herbal supplements, sports nutrition, and much more.
GNC has been perfecting the franchising system for over 25 years and has been ranked number one in the industry for consecutive years, and there’s no better time to join the GNC network.
The franchisor offers comprehensive training, full on-site support, and marketing and merchandising support to help franchisees achieve maximum return on their Investment.
8. OrthoNow Franchise
| Founded In | 2015 |
| Franchising Since | 2018 |
| Estimated Outlets | 9,000 |
| Total initial investment | $492,735 |
| Franchise Fees | Available On request |
| Liquidity | $65,000 |
| Royalty Fees | N/A |
OrthoNow is one of a kind urgent care network in the United States that offers generalized orthopedic care to improve the life of arthritis patients.
Found in 2015, OrthoNow has revolutionized the way orthopedic care is delivered to the community.
The main focus of the company is to provide urgent, quality, and compassionate patient care at affordable prices.
With more than 9,000 locations nationwide, OrthoNow is struggling to keep up with the patient load and demand and looking for franchisees throughout the United States to expand their services.
OrthoNow franchise opportunity comes with a wide range of benefits, including a suite of tools and resources needed to grow and manage the business to ensure you get off a fantastic start.
9. Nurse Next Door Home Care Services Franchise
| Founded In | 2001 |
| Franchising Since | 2007 |
| Estimated Outlets | 172 |
| Total initial investment | $105,100-$199,300 |
| Franchise Fees | $55,000 |
| Liquidity | N/A |
| Royalty Fees | 5% |
Nurse Next Door Home Care is a network that provides specialized non-medical and nursing services for senior citizens along with personalized home care to escort and transportation to events and meetings.
The urgent care center was started by certified nursing assistant Joseph Chiari, who worked as an independent registered nurse for 12 years.
The home care sector is exploding due to the increased number of aging populations, and by becoming a Nurse Next Door Home Care franchisee, you’ll get an unparalleled business opportunity.
The franchisees will undergo a special training program and additional startup assistance and guidance to plan, market, open, and operate general business operations.
10. Advance Urgent Care Franchise
| Founded In | 2006 |
| Franchising Since | N/A |
| Estimated Outlets | N/A |
| Total initial investment | $100,000-$500,000 |
| Franchise Fees | $20,000 |
| Liquidity | N/A |
| Royalty Fees | $1000 per month |
Advance Urgent Care is a walk-in clinic focused on the delivery of urgent medical care.
Founded in 2006 by Dr. Tony Eiser, the company offers the most affordable urgent care franchise opportunities nationwide, serving 30,000 patients annually.
The company provides comprehensive urgent care startup and management services to ensure success for their client’s success.
As a franchise partner, you’ll be offered all the resources and support you need to set up and run a successful business.
When Should You Choose An Urgent Care Franchise?
The right time to choose an urgent care franchise is when you know all the risks associated with the franchise.
Here are some risks that should be considered when making a decision on when to choose an urgent care franchise:
1. Competition
The number of clinics in the USA is estimated to be 10,000. Based on these numbers, you can evaluate the competitive market you are going to enter.
Also, you are not just competing with other urgent care businesses, but you are also competing against retail clinics, family practices, and freestanding emergency departments.
2. Primary Care Vs. Urgent Care
While urgent care is convenient but some people prefer primary care doctors. The doctors already have their previous records, which help in easily diagnosing the problem in the patient.
Plus, in urgent care, there’s no guarantee of getting treated by the same provider as earlier.
3. Retention Of Patients
When it comes to patient retention, then, it is a real battle in the urgent care franchises. No matter how satisfied the patient got after visiting your urgent care franchise, there’s no guarantee that they will return.
If you choose a well-known franchise brand with a strong marketing strategy, then there are chances that you’ll see many customers in the franchise.
Things You Need To Know Before Choosing An Urgent Care Franchise
Here are a few questions that you need to ask before investing in any urgent care franchise:
1. What Is The Success Rate Of The Franchise?
One of the biggest advantages of investing in an urgent care franchise is that you know that someone has already done the heavy lifting. The best way to check the success rate of the franchise is to inquire about the existing franchisees.
You can also access this information from the company’s income statement, balance sheet, and profit and loss statement.
2. What Type Of Training And Educational Service Will Be Provided?
Investing in a franchise means that it already has a proven system of operation. So, access the information about what type of training and education you’ll be getting.
While you might already have some skills but with franchise training, you’ll get some in-depth knowledge of the operations.
3. How Much Do I Need To Invest?
This is an important question to ask as there are numerous expenses associated with the franchise, like franchise fees, royalty fees, training and support expenses, initial investment, and equipment costs.
Make sure you have access to all these expenses and estimate your budget according to these expenses.
Comparison of Top 5 Urgent Care Franchise Opportunities
| Company Name | American Family Care | ATC Healthcare Services | MedExpress | ARCpoint | Doctor Express |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 | 1983 | 2013 | 1998 | 2005 |
| Outlets | 168 | 44 | 145 | 104 | 100 |
| Franchise Fee | $60,000 | $50,000 | $55,000 | $49,000 | $55,000 |
| Initial Investment | $125,750-$1,254,500 | $129,400-$217,400 | $664,000-$903,000 | $156,650-$252,325 | $664,000-$903,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 6% | 1% | Varies | 7% | 6% |
Conclusion
Urgent care franchises are one of the best ways to own a business in the urgent care industry rather than starting your own business from scratch.
Franchisees undergo the initial training to make them equipped with all the skills required to handle the role of the owner, combined with a variety of tools and resources that you can leverage to make your job easier and build a strong business.
However, like any other business model, urgent care franchise can be a bitter pill to swallow if you invest in the wrong model.
As with any lucrative industry, you must consider the financial costs involved and potential risks and understand what your Investment will yield exactly.
All the urgent care franchise opportunities we have listed above offer their franchisees comprehensive training and support along with all the resources they need to start from the ground up.
You May Also Like:
FAQs
Is Urgent Care Franchise Profitable?
Acquiring an urgent care franchise is one of the best ways to secure your financial future and get the best return on your money.
According to statistics, urgent care franchisees have a high rate of survival than entrepreneurs, who start from scratch and are forced.
Besides, the profitability of a franchise depends on the recognition of the brand, the franchisor’s management skills, and the franchisee’s abilities.
How Much Money Does An Urgent Care Franchise Make?
Well, it is impossible to calculate how much an urgent care franchise owner makes, as it depends on several factors, including size, location, quality of the service, etc.
In addition, you have to invest your full attention and implement your management skills to make your business thrive.
Overall, urgent care franchises are profitable and thriving, making an average of $1.3 million yearly revenue.
How To Pick The Best Urgent Care Franchise?
There are certain things you should consider to pick the best urgent care franchise. First, you should analyze your goals and financial capability.
Next, study your local market, analyze the companies you are planning to invest in, collect as much data as possible about the company’s background, level of assistance, and franchisor, and pick the urgent care franchise that aligns with your goals and values to get the most bang out of your buck.
How Much Does Urgent Care Franchise Cost?
The cost of urgent care franchise varies highly on the franchise brand and the location of your franchise. The cost ranges between $100,000 to $1 million.
Which Is The Cheapest Urgent Care Franchise?
According to the above-mentioned data, the cheapest urgent care franchise is Nurse Next Door Home Care Services Franchise. It requires an initial investment of $105,100-$199,300 and franchise fees of $55,000.
Amit Gupta is an experienced expert in digital marketing and co-founder of DrFranchises. With more than 11 years of knowledge in franchise digital marketing, SEO, email marketing, and social media marketing, Amit has helped many brands achieve incredible success online. As a passionate entrepreneur and owner of 7 franchises, he continues to study franchise models, looking at costs, revenue, and profitability to guide brands toward profitable growth. When he’s not working on digital marketing, Amit enjoys spending time playing with his beloved dog.