Posted: Friday, January 4, 2008 12:00 am
New urgent care center slated to open next fall
By Alex Paul
For the Gazette-Times
ALBANY - By next fall mid-valley residents will have access to another urgent care medical clinic to be housed within the new Samaritan Medical and Diagnostics Center, 400 Hickory N.W. in North Albany.
Wednesday afternoon, David Triebes, CEO of Samaritan Albany General Hospital; Dr. Kevin Ewanchyna, vice president of medical affairs for Samaritan; and Stephanie Maxon, director of primary care clinics, toured the still-vacant third floor of the $6.4 million complex.
The clinic will take up about 4,800 square feet.
"We have done the schematic work and are finalizing construction drawings at this point," Triebes said. "Our goal is to have the project completed by Oct. 1. The community needs this. Look at the new subdivisions being constructed here. Those families are going to need access to health care."
The second urgent care in Albany is prompted by growth in patient numbers at the Geary Street Clinic as well as record numbers of patients being seen at the Albany hospital's emergency room.
Samaritan Health Services also has urgent care facilities in Lebanon and Corvallis. Typical cases include flu, lacerations, colds, pneumonia and fractures. Staff members say people also come saying they just don't feel well.
The Geary Street Clinic sees more than 2,000 patients per month.
Access to the North Albany clinic will be through a covered rear entrance. The entry, stairway and elevator were included during construction of the complex, which opened last fall. The urgent care will be accessible after hours when both the first and second floors are closed to the public.
Anticipated urgent care hours will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, although those hours may shift depending on usage.
"We will have at least two practitioners and a full complement of support staff," Ewanchyna said. "Of course, there will be X-ray and a full lab on site."
Staffing for the new facility will come from Samaritan Health Services and through recruiting.
With continued population growth in North Albany, the urgent care may someday be moved into a stand-alone building, Triebes said, making room for more primary care physician offices.
The North Albany complex currently houses Samaritan's Valley Imaging Services, Willamette Valley Open MRI and Cancer Resource Center.