Pittsburgh Health Systems Prepare Pop-Up Clinics for NFL Draft

Temporary medical sites will provide essential care, freeing up emergency rooms for more serious cases

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:19am

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray image revealing the internal components of a portable first aid kit or mobile medical unit, conceptually representing the temporary pop-up clinics set up to serve the NFL Draft crowds in Pittsburgh.Temporary pop-up clinics will provide essential medical resources to NFL Draft crowds, ensuring the city's emergency rooms can focus on more serious cases.Today in Pittsburgh

With the NFL Draft coming to Pittsburgh, local health care providers Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and UPMC are setting up temporary pop-up clinics and mobile medical units to handle any non-emergency medical needs from the anticipated large crowds. The clinics will offer first aid, X-ray capabilities, and other treatments to ensure the city's emergency rooms can focus on more serious cases.

Why it matters

Hosting a major event like the NFL Draft brings thousands of additional people to the city, straining local medical resources. By establishing these temporary pop-up clinics, the health systems can provide convenient care for minor injuries and illnesses, freeing up hospital emergency rooms to focus on more critical cases and ensuring the event runs smoothly from a public health perspective.

The details

AHN will have a mobile medical clinic stocked with first aid supplies set up in Market Square, while UPMC will have pop-up care sites in Market Square and Point State Park. The clinics will be able to treat minor issues like cuts, scrapes, dehydration, and joint pain. If needed, patients can then be transported to AHN's nearby Downtown Express Clinic. Both health systems are closely coordinating with Pittsburgh EMS, which will have additional motorcycle and bicycle units to navigate the crowds.

  • The AHN downtown clinic will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. next Wednesday through Saturday.
  • The UPMC pop-up sites will be open next Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and next Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The players

Allegheny Health Network (AHN)

A major health care provider in the Pittsburgh region, operating hospitals, clinics, and mobile medical units.

UPMC

A large nonprofit health care system based in Pittsburgh, operating hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other medical facilities.

Dr. Amy Crawford-Faucher

Chair of AHN's Department of Family Medicine, overseeing the mobile medical unit and downtown clinic operations.

Dr. Donald Yealy

Chief Medical Officer at UPMC, coordinating the health system's pop-up care sites for the NFL Draft.

Jennifer McDermott-Grub

Assistant Chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, managing the deployment of additional emergency responders for the event.

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What they’re saying

“We need our ERs to be full of the right folks who truly need their emergency services.”

— Dr. Amy Crawford-Faucher, Chair of AHN's Department of Family Medicine

“They've been part of the planning with us. This is a team effort.”

— Dr. Donald Yealy, Chief Medical Officer at UPMC

“We have taken deliberate steps to ensure this event is supported without disrupting normal emergency and public safety services.”

— Jennifer McDermott-Grub, Assistant Chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Emergency Medical Services

What’s next

The health systems and emergency responders will continue to monitor the situation and make any necessary adjustments to their plans as the NFL Draft weekend approaches.

The takeaway

By setting up these temporary pop-up clinics, Pittsburgh's major health systems are taking proactive steps to ensure the NFL Draft event runs smoothly from a public health perspective, allowing emergency rooms to focus on more serious cases while providing convenient care for minor issues to the anticipated large crowds.