Acuity classification in the urgent care setting.

Efforts to control costs but provide accessible services have led to the development of urgent care centers. Viable urgent care centers must provide cost-effective care while maintaining quality. This requires staff allocation appropriate to patient needs as well as volume. Few articles have been written on patient acuity systems that permit optimal urgent care center staffing. Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Centers have developed an acuity system for use in the urgent care center.