As Las Vegas grows, urgent cares and freestanding ERs expand access to healthcare
Thu, July 23, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Photo of MountainView Hospital (Sunrise Health System)
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) —As Southern Nevada’s population continues to grow, so has the demand for healthcare services across the Las Vegas Valley. Medical providers say the expansion of urgent care clinics and freestanding emergency rooms is helping improve access to care
Healthcare leaders with Sunrise Health System say the increase in facilities is part of a broader effort to make medical care more accessible for patients throughout the valley
“It is gaining popularity but it is also creating more access to care which that is the number one goal,” said Carenow Market Medical Director, Dr. Angela Mosby
Over the past several years, urgent care centers and freestanding emergency rooms have become increasingly common throughout Southern Nevada. While both offer walk-in medical care, providers say they serve different purposes and understanding those differences can help patients receive the appropriate level of treatment
“We really want to create access points, healthcare access points throughout the entire city of Las Vegas. So, urgent cares and free standing ER’s or ER’s in general serve different purposes. They are complimentary, but they really do serve a different need in the community,” Dr. Mosby added
The growing network comes as Southern Nevada continues to experience a shortage of primary care providers, making it more difficult for patients to schedule same-day or last-minute appointments
“Las Vegas itself is an area that we do have a deficiency in primary care. In this market specifically we do need to have availability for access to care. So, the whole purpose of having urgent care is so that we can provide that service where they don’t have that service where they don’t have access elsewhere,” Dr. Mosby added
To help meet that need, the Sunrise Health System network has expanded its footprint across the valley. The system now includes four hospitals, including a dedicated children’s hospital, seven freestanding emergency rooms and 20 CareNow Urgent Care clinics
Providers say similar healthcare models are becoming more common nationwide as communities look for ways to improve access to medical care outside of traditional hospital campuses
“It’s becoming more popular throughout the country and we are starting to see them kind of pop up in larger major cities just again for the same reasons. It is harder to get access to care, it is really harder to get into a primary care doctor at the last minute or for that urgent need,” said Dr. Mosby
While urgent care centers and freestanding emergency rooms may appear similar, healthcare professionals say choosing the right facility depends on the severity of a patient’s condition
Freestanding emergency rooms are staffed and equipped to provide the same level of emergency care as a hospital emergency department. They are designed to treat serious or potentially life-threatening conditions, including chest pain, strokes, traumatic injuries and severe abdominal pain
“If you think it might be a medical emergency, this is probably a really good place to start if you are not certain you can call up and they can send you to the nurse advice line that is probably the best way to know how to triage yourself. It provides hospital level emergency care; we see chest pain, abdominal pain, strokes, traumatic injuries, anything that you need to go to the emergency room for that is what we are for,” said Dr. Michael Lundberg, MountainView Freestanding Emergency Departments Medical Director.
Urgent care clinics, on the other hand, are intended for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries such as respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, sprains, strains, and minor abdominal pain
“We are here for your non-life-threatening illnesses and diagnosis, or conditions that is going to be things like respiratory infections, abdominal pains, sprains, strains, urinary tract infections, or things that you could be sometimes seen your primary care doctor for but they may not be available,” Dr. Mosby added
For patients unsure of where to seek treatment, Sunrise Health System offers a free 24-hour Consult-A-Nurse hotline staffed by registered nurses who can help determine the most appropriate level of care
“There are nurses who answer the calls and, on that call, where you are unsure of where to go , if you have a question about your condition or if needing additional care, the nurses can actually provide a consult for you and help you make that decision they can even advise you if you should go to an urgent care or an er,” Dr. Mosby said
Although urgent care clinics and freestanding emergency rooms have expanded access to healthcare throughout Southern Nevada, providers emphasize they are not intended to replace a primary care physician
Instead, they say these facilities are designed to complement existing healthcare services by providing timely treatment when patients cannot see their regular doctor. Providers can also help connect patients with primary care physicians and specialists for ongoing care and long-term health management
As Southern Nevada’s population continues to grow, healthcare leaders say expanding access points across the valley will remain critical to meeting the community’s healthcare needs
