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The phenomenon of the urgent care center is here to stay. While many people have great af ection for their primary care provider, and those PCPs serve an invaluable role in the health and well-being of their patients, they cannot be available 24 hours, seven days a week. The UCC, in any number of incarnations, of ers a level of availability at hours beyond that of most PCPs and at a fraction of the cost of equiva- lent services at an emergency department. These are all established facts, and support the growing number and popu- larity of the plethora of new urgent care providers. The trend that is becoming equally important is providing healthcare services that would otherwise be available only in a more clinical (i.e., hospital) environment. Globally, biologic drugs are on track to grow 400 percent from 2002 to 2017, according to Statista's Global Biologics Spending research for 2002-17. One example would be the repetitive-type clinical services for patients with chronic illnesses in an associated urgent care environ- ment. Typically, patients with Crohn's disease or alkaloid spondylitis receive an infusion of their regularly adminis- tered intravenous medications in a hospital environment. However, these patients are not "sick" in an "emergency" sense, and do not need to be in an inpatient environment. Nor do insurance companies relish the idea of paying hospital rates for services that can easily be provided by skilled nursing in facilities best suited to patients of low acuity. Enter the concept of the infusion suite within or adjacent to the urgent care center. In a recent study by Reliant Medical Group, a multi-spe- cialty medical group in central Massachusetts, 25 percent of the volume at its largest UCC was infusion-related. These patients represent a variety of needs, from hydration to anti- biotics, but the nursing skills, pharmaceutical mixing and physical resources necessary for the infusion process are common to them all. Skin infections (cellulitis), which arise spontaneously or through trauma such as animal bites or infected wounds, are the most common reason for intravenous antibiotics. Less common reasons for IV antibi- otics include kidney infections (pyelonephritis), pneumonia (certain cases) or lymphangitis. Typical infusion drugs admin- istered in Reliant's chronic illness infusion suite include Remicade, Tysabri, Orencia, Zometa, Reclast, Cubicin, or Invanz; approximately $4,500 can be saved in a single Remicade infusion. Other common infections normally treated with oral medications, but don't respond adequately, are sometimes treated with IVs. Oncological chemotherapy is not a good candidate for these kinds of infusion suites because cancer patients tend to be im- munocompromised. Patients with chronic ill- nesses often need to have ongo- ing infusion treatments repeat- edly; it is most convenient to have them available in smaller local clinics with adjacent park- ing than at large, centrally lo- cated hospitals. They may have to spend several hours in an in- fusion bay each time, and a less "clinical" and more comfortable and casual environment is often preferable. There is an increased focus by insurance companies to help to fund the relatively minimal costs of construction and staf - ing of these infusion suites, given the enormous savings that they can deliver over time. Key components of successful infusion suites A convenient location, easily ISSUE FOCUS Support Facilities Evolution of, key considerations for, infusion suites and other UCC spaces BY MARC MARGULIES URGENT CARE CENTERS The interior fi nishes at ReadyMED walk-in medical care clinics in central Massachusetts were chosen to give the space a "living room" quality. This provides a less clinical feel, and more comfortable and casual environment. Reception areas feature self-service check-in kiosks. 30 Medical Construction & Design | M A RCH /A PR IL 2015 | MCDM AG.COM