Harwich Port, Mass., July 2025 – Outer Cape Health Services (OCHS) has announced a name change for its walk-in care services at the Provincetown location. Effective immediately, the service previously referred to as “Urgent Care” will now be called the “Primary Care Walk-In Clinic” to better reflect its regulatory designation and billing practices.

This change is not a reduction or elimination of services. All patients continue to have access to same-day, unscheduled care for non-emergency medical conditions that require prompt attention. The updated name ensures compliance with Massachusetts Department of Public Health regulations and aligns with appropriate billing and reimbursement processes.

OCHS’s walk-in services operate under a primary care model, which supports better insurance coverage for patients. OCHS has chosen not to pursue formal urgent care designation to avoid increasing out-of-pocket costs for its patients. “We want to maintain affordable access to care for our community, especially those who consider OCHS their primary care home,” said Dr. Damian Archer, CEO of OCHS.

Established OCHS primary care patients will continue to pay their usual office visit copay. Patients not currently registered with OCHS who seek walk-in care may face different out of-pocket costs depending on their insurance plans and are encouraged to contact their insurance providers before visiting.

The Primary Care Walk-In Clinic model also provides OCHS with greater scheduling and staffing flexibility, helping to sustain vital access to primary care services amid ongoing healthcare staffing challenges in rural communities. OCHS wants to make clear that this name change isn’t a direct result of recent federal funding cuts. While the organization continues to monitor evolving healthcare policies and financial pressures, the decision to rename the walk-in service is driven by operational and regulatory needs to improve billing accuracy and maintain financial sustainability. “Our mission is unchanged-to provide comprehensive, community-centered healthcare to all residents and visitors on the Outer Cape,” added Dr. Archer.

For more information, patients can visit outercape.org or call Outer Cape Health Services at (508) 905-2888

About Outer Cape Health Services:

Outer Cape Health Services is a community health center organization with locations in Harwich Port, Provincetown and Wellfleet. Our mission is to provide a full range of primary health care and supportive social services that promote the health and well-being of all who live in or visit the ten outermost towns of Cape Cod. OCHS cares for more than 20,000 people. Founded in 1987 through the merger of Health Associates of Provincetown and the AIM Medical Center in Wellfleet, Outer Cape Health has a long history of successful growth and expansion in pursuit of this mission. Outer Cape Health Services, Inc. (OCHS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is governed by a Board of Directors representative of its community. All board members live on Cape Cod and the majority are OCHS patients. For additional information about Outer Cape Health Services, click here.