Case Study: University of Chicago Medicine expands access and reduces ED utilization with KeyCare virtual urgent care

How UChicago Medicine expanded access to care and reduced unnecessary emergency department utilization through on-demand virtual urgent care

University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) lacked an on-demand virtual urgent care service, which limited patient access, created gaps in low-acuity care, and led to patients defaulting to the emergency department after hours. Their goal was to implement a 24/7 solution to increase access, reduce ED utilization, and improve the overall patient experience.

UCM partnered with KeyCare to launch its Epic-based virtual urgent care service. The solution was soft-launched and then expanded, leading to significant results. Over 600 visits were completed monthly, with 50-80 ED visits diverted each month. Patient wait times dropped by 90% to 18 minutes, and the service maintained an excellent Net Promoter Score above 60, demonstrating high patient satisfaction. KeyCare enabled UCM to successfully provide efficient and equitable care.

University of Chicago Medicine