CT health care system opens new urgent center. What to know as this type of care expands in state

Hartford Courant – Tuesday, May 5, 2026
By Staff Report

A Connecticut health system has added a new Urgent Care center with a 3,500-square-foot facility.

The Yale New Haven Health new Urgent Care center is in Branford, with the goal of further expanding “access to convenient, high-quality care for residents along the shoreline and throughout the region,” according to the health system.

The new center means there are now more than 20 Yale New Haven Health Urgent Care centers serving Connecticut and New York, according to the health system. Patients are able to walk in, make an in-person visit online, or book a virtual telehealth appointment. While most major insurance plans are accepted, there are self-pay options available for uninsured patients, according to the health system.

The new center is at 349 East Main St., Branford, Suite 101. It is a 3,500-square-foot facility that has seven exam rooms, an on-site laboratory with same-day testing, and a team of six clinical and support staff, according to the health system. Yale New Haven Health also operates the Shoreline Medical Center.

The facility is intended to “meet a wide range of non-emergency medical needs in a comfortable, efficient setting.”

Yale New Haven Health Urgent Care also is scheduled to open a new center soon in Darien, a continuation of the “health system’s commitment to meeting patients where they are.”

“As healthcare continues to evolve, access and convenience are more important than ever,” said Pamela Sutton-Wallace, president of Yale New Haven Health, in a statement. “By opening this Urgent Care center in Branford, we’re giving patients a trusted option for prompt medical care close to home, while reinforcing our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve.”

Walk in centers for health care are a growing business across Connecticut. Hartford HealthCare–GoHealth Urgent Care, which already has about 40 locations across the state, for example opened a new location in Killingly late last year, saying at the time it aims to expand “convenient, affordable, and patient‑centered care options for residents in northeast Connecticut.”

In another example, Hartford HealthCare’s – GoHealth Urgent Care has opened new urgent care centers in Willimantic and Ellington in 2024. With the expansion, GoHealth Urgent Care clinics now number 35 locations across the state, according to Hartford HealthCare.

“Our newest locations allow more patients easy access to affordable health care where they live,” Eric Walsh, M.D., medical director, Hartford HealthCare-GoHealth Urgent Care, said at the time in a statement. “Hartford HealthCare-GoHealth continues to invest in patient-centered, neighborhood locations like these, and we look forward to serving more communities across Connecticut.”

The Yale New Haven system noted that its Urgent Care centers treat a broad range of conditions, including “minor injuries such as cuts, sprains, strains and burns; pediatric illnesses and injuries; ear, eye and respiratory infections; and seasonal illnesses like influenza.”

The sites also offer school, camp and sports physicals, X-rays for fractures, pneumonia and dislocations, as well as care for many other urgent, non-life-threatening conditions, according to the health system.

“This new location strengthens our ability to deliver timely care while maintaining strong connections across the Yale New Haven Health system,” said Jeannie Kenkare, DO, president of Yale New Haven Health Urgent Care, in the statement. “Patients come to us for immediate needs, but they also benefit from seamless coordination with primary care providers, specialists and telehealth services when follow-up care is needed.”

Yale New Haven Health noted the goal of Urgent Care is intended to go “beyond the traditional urgent care model by offering locally staffed, 24/7 telehealth services, allowing patients to consult with experienced clinicians anytime, anywhere. This personalized approach ensures continuity of care through communication with primary care physicians and coordination of specialty services when appropriate.”

The Branford Urgent Care center is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The center will be open on Christmas Day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with telehealth services available 24/7.

For more information, including a full list of locations, visit https://ynhhs.org/urgentcare.

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