NEW FOR FALL 2026
Urgent Care Start-up Mini-Conference
October 15-16, 2026
DoubleTree Hotel, Chicago O’Hare Airport
Registration Opens Summer, 2026
A one-day intensive that covers the basics of opening, growing and improving upon urgent care centers.
In this 1-day intensive, topics include:
- Defining and Differentiating Urgent Care Services
- Evolution of the Urgent Care Industry
- Basic Economics of Urgent Care Centers
- Urgent Care Business Plan Development
- Urgent Care Pro Forma Financial Planning
- Recruiting and Scheduling Providers and Staff
- Urgent Care Considerations for X-Ray and Lab
- Occupational Medicine and Other Ancillary Services
- Grassroots, Online and Media Marketing Strategies
- Top Mistakes and Obstacles for Urgent Care Operators
- Planning for Urgent Care’s Future
Meet the Speakers
Alan Ayers, President, Urgent Care Consultants
Alan has ~20 years' executive experience in strategic planning, business development, clinical operations, and sales/marketing for urgent care, occupational medicine, and primary care facilities. He has served as CEO and COO of hospital urgent care joint ventures, a Board Director for UCA, and is Senior Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine.
Heather Real, Senior Consultant
Heather has been helping operators start their own urgent cares for over 10 years and has contributed to over 250 rooftop projects all over the country.
David Stern, MD, CPC
Dr. David Stern, founder of Experity, was a true urgent care pioneer having founded the Urgent Care Association (UCA) and largest chain of urgent care centers in the Midwest in the 1990s. He’s since served as Board Director of multiple PE-backed and hospital-affiliated urgent care platforms and currently owns ~50 centers.
Andrea Giamalva, MD
Dr. Giamalva is Chief Medical Officer at Experity focused on quality initiatives, improving the patient care experience and streamlining efficiencies in urgent care facilities.
Jim Garrett, Vice President,
National Urgent Care Realty
Jim is a licensed real estate broker in Florida supporting urgent care development nationally with expertise in market and site analytics.
The Venue
DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport
Rosemont 5460 N River Rd
Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone: (847) 292-9100
Fly in, fly out — or stay the weekend. The DoubleTree O'Hare offers a complimentary 24-hour shuttle to O'Hare International, making it an easy in-and-out for busy attendees. The hotel also features Gibsons Steakhouse — one of Chicago's most iconic steakhouses, famous for its USDA prime cuts and legendary martinis — along with an indoor heated pool, fitness center, and the signature warm cookie at check-in. With the CTA Blue Line a short ride away, attendees can extend their trip into a weekend getaway in downtown Chicago — the Loop, Magnificent Mile, Wrigleyville, and the lakefront all within easy reach.