Richmond-based urgent care provider Patient First reduces hours, citing 'unsustainable' jump in patient visits - Richmond Times-Dispatch

is one of nine area locations of the Richmond-based chain of urgent care centers that has reduced its hours due to a surge in patients.

One Richmond-based chain of urgent care centers has reduced its hours because of what it calls an “unsustainable increase in patient visits.”.

Patient First, a regional chain that provides walk-in medical care and primary care at nine locations in the Richmond area, said it has temporarily reduced its hours to 8 a.m.

The health care provider also said it has reduced its telehealth hours, during which patients can get remote health care, to 8 a.m.

“With an increase in illness in the community — and as other medical practices have begun to require appointments, or in other ways limit the patients they will see, and as emergency rooms and primary care physicians divert patients to us — we have seen an unanticipated and overwhelming number of patients.

“This surge has resulted in long waits at our centers, often for patients with acute illness or injury,” the company said.

The company also could not say how many of the patients are coming to Patient First after being diverted from hospitals or other health care providers.

“It is not just urgent care but primary care offices that are seeing a huge surge in patients.”.

“Many of them are unable to get appointments with primary care physicians and urgent care clinics.”.

is one of nine area locations of the Richmond-based chain of urgent care centers that has reduced its hours due to a surge in patients