GRMC urgent care clinic opened Monday

For anyone with an urgent medical issue, Greater Regional Medical Center (GRMC) now offers urgent care services throughout the week.

After an open house for the public 9 a.m. Monday, the clinic is now open to patients.

The clinic entrance is located at the south entrance of the medical plaza at the hospital, 1700 W. Townline St, and is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday,and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

“We’re very excited for urgent care to start. It’s going to be a major asset for the community and surrounding southwest Iowa, and it’ll be a huge benefit for today and many years to come,” said Dr. Matthew Epp, MD and director of emergency medicine.

Urgent care is defined as maladies such as ear infections, animal bites, sore throats and colds or migraines and when a person’s primary physician is unavailable.

“It’s for anything that you’re thinking, ‘I don’t really need to go to the ER, but, I really need to be seen today,’” said Tessa Sandel, nurse practitioner.

“It’s going to be a more convenient way for those lower acuity, not so emergent illnesses and injuries to come in here,” said Mary Gross, emergency room and urgent care clinic director. “It will be a much more appropriate, much more convenient and less expensive way for patients to get care.”

The family care clinic is open until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, so the urgent care clinic is a way to get care after hours, such as a parent who comes home in the evening after a work day to a sick child, or someone with an acute infection.

The urgent care clinic will also have shorter hours during minor holidays such as Labor Day or Memorial Day.

It is best to see a primary-care physician for things such as routine checkups and current medical conditions, and to visit the emergency room for issues like severe bleeding, difficulty breathing or major injuries.

“I’ve noticed a lot of people passing through with family visiting, like at the Green Valley campground, or even the college,” said Heather Burwell, RN. “It seems like they have to go to the ER because they don’t have a physician here. This will be more available for them.”

The staff will also provide physicals and care for Iowa Department of Transportation employees. The hospital also will collaborate with local businesses to offer urgent care clinic hours for those businesses specifically.

“We’re also going to work with the (family care) clinic and funnel patients back in to their primary provider,” said Liz Hensley, nurse practitioner. “We’re just really excited to be here, be open and get going.”

For more information, visit www.greaterregional.org or call 641-782-1181.