Washington Health opened a new Urgent Care Center on Dec. 17, located at 2682 Mowry Ave. in Fremont. The center is open weekdays 10am to 8pm and weekends 9am to 5pm.
Washington Health patients can go in for injuries, cuts, bruises, sprains, fractures or pain. It’s a place to go when the discomfort or sickness is not exactly an emergency, but still needs immediate attention. Washington Health serves patients in Fremont, Newark, Union City, South Hayward and unincorporated Sunol.
“Our emergency room is open 24/7, seven days a week,” said Washington Health CEO Kimberly Hartz. “But it’s not always the place to go to if you’ve had certain types of needs, whether it’s a broken bone or a sprain.”
If more care is needed, the urgent care center can connect patients to a variety of clinics and specialists within the healthcare network. According to the website, they accept most insurance plans. A list of them can be found on the Washington Health Urgent Care webpage.
Hartz said an urgent care visit can be quicker than going to the hospital’s emergency room, which includes a trauma center. She said a lot of times they are busy with acute patients, meaning a visit there results in a longer wait time.
The urgent care center came out of a need for more access to medical care. Washington Health conducted a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) this year and found that a key health need is for better “Healthcare Access and Delivery.” The CHNA is done every three years.
In response, the hospital released a Community Health Improvement Plan for 2026-2028. It included the opening of a new urgent care center to “increase access to medical services for non-life threatening injuries and illnesses.”
“It came from our community,” said Hartz. “Our community has continued to ask about making sure that they are able to access the right level of care.”
This year’s CHNA reported economic security, behavioral health, and healthcare access and delivery as top health needs. The CHNA is made by research firm Actionable Insights, LLC, and was done in collaboration with multiple area hospitals, including John Muir Health, Kaiser Permanente and St. Rose Hospital.
Data is collected through interviews and community focus groups. Interviews were given to health experts and community leaders who focus on improving health in vulnerable populations.
According to the 2025 CHNA, economic security was the top health need because economic strain causes a person to cut back on essentials like healthy food. An interviewee from the report said food and rents have increased so much but salaries have not. Another said a person can work one or two jobs and still not have a stable income in the Bay Area.
Behavioral health came in second, raising concerns about lack of mental health support, domestic violence and alcoholism. One person said that alcohol becomes a coping mechanism for a lot of men.
Healthcare access and delivery was the third health need on the 2025 CHNA. That’s because healthcare is expensive and there are not enough healthcare providers. Medical professionals who were interviewed said it’s important to have medical, dental and behavioral health services in one location for more equitable access.
Washington Health Urgent Care
washingtonhealth.com/services/urgent-care
