Most urgent care CEOs stay far from the weeds of marketing. But what happens when a leader decides to master it—and uses that knowledge to drive clinic growth, improve patient access, and lower acquisition costs?

In this episode, Michael and Nick sit down with Brent Kell, CEO of Valley Immediate Care, a nine-location urgent care group in Southern Oregon. For over two decades, Brent has not only led operations but rolled up his sleeves to run and refine his own marketing—blending geofencing, Google Ads, and innovative patient communication strategies to deliver measurable ROI.

From targeting sports tournaments and tourist hubs with hyper-local ads, to integrating AI voice and SMS systems that answer calls, book appointments, and reduce no-shows, Brent shares exactly how he’s using data to guide every marketing dollar. He also opens up about the KPIs that matter most, how to calculate your true cost per patient acquisition, and why the human touch still matters in a digital-first strategy.

Whether you’re an urgent care operator, a healthcare marketer, or a leader looking to better connect operations and patient growth, this conversation delivers proven, actionable tactics you can adapt right now.

🔍 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

📍 How to use geofencing to target visiting sports teams, hotels, and RV parks for urgent care growth
💻 Why Google Ads remains the backbone of digital marketing—and how to maximize ROI
💬 How AI voice and text tools like Flip and Podium are cutting unanswered calls and booking more visits
📊 The KPI Brent tracks above all others to guide marketing investment decisions
🧠 Why top-of-mind brand awareness still matters in the era of digital attribution
🎥 How to repurpose evergreen seasonal content to boost reach year after year
🤝 Why CEOs should understand digital marketing—even if they don’t run the campaigns themselves

🧠 About Our Guest

Brent A. Kell, R.T. (R), is the Chief Executive Officer of Valley Immediate Care in Medford, Oregon, where he has led the growth from a single clinic to nine facilities since 2002. With over 30 years of healthcare management experience, he also serves as Limited License X-Ray Instructor and Program Director with the Oregon Board of Medical Imaging, among other leadership roles. An active volunteer in search and rescue and ski patrol, Brent brings both operational excellence and a passion for service to everything he does. Outside of work, he’s an avid hiker, skier, runner, and climber.

🔗 Resources & Mentions

Connect with Valley Immediate Care:

Website: valley-ic.com

Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/Valley.IC⁠⁠

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valleyimmediatecare7659

Connect with Brent: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-kell-87a94919/ 

💬 Stay Connected:

Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for updates, tips, and behind-the-scenes content.

Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA

Want to be a guest, recommend someone for the show, or ask a question? Reach out! We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]

🎵 Intro/Outro Music by Devin Smith: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ