Experity is a healthcare technology company that supports nearly half of the urgent care centers nationwide with electronic medical records, practice management, patient engagement, revenue cycle management services, and teleradiology.

MLO: What role are urgent care centers filling in rural areas in America?

Dr. Giamalva: Urgent care centers help fill access gaps in rural communities where hospital closures and limited physician availability make it difficult to get care. They provide walk-in access and may also help address some needs patients would otherwise bring to a primary care office.

The services a center can provide depend on its clinicians, staffing and resources. Patients who need a higher level of care must be directed to the appropriate facility.

MLO: For patients of urgent care centers, how are laboratory results getting to them in a timely manner?

Dr. Giamalva: Point-of-care testing helps urgent care clinicians get timely answers and determine the next step in a patient’s treatment. When testing is sent to an outside laboratory, an interface with the electronic medical record can help the care team receive results once the laboratory completes and releases them.

Timely results are especially important in rural communities, where reaching a hospital or another provider may require a lengthy drive. Clear answers help clinicians determine whether patients can be treated locally or need additional care.

MLO: What processes do urgent care centers have for communicating results with patients?

Dr. Giamalva: Urgent care centers use several approaches. Some schedule a telehealth visit to explain results, answer questions and discuss next steps.  A telehealth visit can help patients understand their results without making another trip to the office.

Experity also offers a tool that allows patients to access laboratory results and provider notes through a text-message link, without needing to remember a portal username and password.  Making follow-up simple matters because many urgent care patients do not have an ongoing relationship with the clinic. 

MLO: How do Experity and urgent care centers address antimicrobial resistance?

Dr. Giamalva: Experity partners with the Urgent Care Association, which has made antimicrobial stewardship a priority. Our electronic medical record workflows can support clinicians with care guidance and educational materials to help explain treatment decisions to patients.

Laboratory testing can also support appropriate antibiotic use. When clinically indicated, cultures can help identify bacteria and guide treatment. Viral testing can help identify a respiratory illness and support a discussion about why antibiotics may not be appropriate. Results should be interpreted alongside the patient’s symptoms, examination and clinical history; keeping in mind that identifying a virus does not, by itself, rule out a bacterial infection.

MLO: So many advances are happening in diagnostics. How much access do patients in rural areas have to this advanced testing?

Dr. Giamalva: Through our work with urgent care operators, we see how partnerships with outside laboratories can expand access to testing beyond what a clinic performs on site. Some larger organizations also operate internal laboratories.

The tests available and the time required to receive results depend on the clinic and its laboratory relationships. Rural locations may face additional delays because of specimen transport and courier schedules. Improving those processes and the flow of results back to clinicians can help narrow access gaps.

MLO: The federal Rural Health Transformation Program provides $50 billion over fiscal years 2026 through 2030. From your perspective, what improvements can states make with this funding?

Dr. Giamalva: States should prioritize timely access to care and diagnostic results, along with recruiting and retaining the clinicians needed to serve rural communities. Staffing can be a significant challenge when clinics struggle to recruit physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.

Telehealth and connected examination tools can also extend clinicians’ reach. Combined with appropriate diagnostic testing and local support, these tools can help clinicians evaluate patients remotely when the situation is suitable for that approach. The goal should be to turn available technology into practical access to care for rural patients.