Midwest Express Clinic wants to make a huge splash in Chicago with the acquisition of MedSpring urgent care clinics in five vibrant city neighborhoods.
Midwest Express Clinic is expanding its footprint from 12 to 17 locations after acquiring the MedSpring locations in Chicago’s Lakeview, River North, Wicker Park, West Loop and Roscoe Village neighborhoods.
The acquisition became official Jan. 1, 2020.
“We’re excited for our expansion into Chicago, and hope to make these neighborhoods even stronger,” said Kaitlyn Steinberg, Midwest Express Clinic’s Director of Operations.
The majority of Midwest Express Clinic’s patients are ages 24-40 and female (62 percent), although the clinics serve anyone from newborns to those age 65-plus. Well over 200,000 patients are seen annually. Most patients visit the clinics from within five miles of where they live.
The company was launched in Munster, Indiana in 2012. That location remains Midwest Express Clinic’s busiest, with 100-plus patient visits per day. The business spans from Crown Point, Indiana to the east and Willowbrook, Illinois to the west. The furthest northern location is Skokie, Illinois, while Bourbonnais, Illinois, serves as the most southern spot currently.
With the expansion of five new locations, Midwest Express Clinic will have about 160 employees, including 50 retained employees and medical providers from MedSpring.
Midwest Express Clinic’s urgent care facilities offer convenient alternatives to a standard emergency room or primary care doctor appointment for illness or injuries. Midwest Express Clinic specializes in injury care, illness care, family care, women’s health, and labs, texting and X-Rays. The company also has trendier types of services like Botox injections, Vitamin B12 shots and $25 baby gender reveals.
Consumer Reports noted the boom of urgent care facilities throughout the United States, with an increase from 6,400 in 2014 to 8,100 in 2018 – and up to an additional 600 expected to open in 2019. Business Insider published a study from in the Annals of Emergency Medicine that showed urgent care center costs were about 10 times less than ER treatment costs for patients with the same diagnosis.
“We offer a variety of services to accommodate our patients, whether it’s for primary care or an acute illness. Our goal is to keep patients out of the ER and provide quality care at an affordable price. We have convenient hours and strive to get our patients in and out within a timely manner,” Steinberg said. “By expanding our locations into Chicago, we are able to provide more access to patients in need. Our providers see all ages and we accept most insurances. It is a model that’s been really successful, where patients can come in – on their time, receive exceptional care, and pay less.”