Convenient Care
Augusta Health Clinics offer low-cost Health Services
Convenience and low cost. Those are the two drivingforces behind Augusta Health’s latestventure: theConvenient Care Clinic, located in the Walmarts inStaunton and Waynesboro.
Convenient Care Clinics treat minor illnesses and providepreventive healthcare in locations suchas retail stores andsupermarkets, says Phillip Worrell, Project Manager at AugustaHealth. “We’re addressing the community’s needs by providingconvenient and affordable healthcare,” says Worrell, who notesthat 60 percent of convenient care clinic patients nationallydon’t have their own primary care physicians—a barrier togetting regular care. “This is another avenue of healthcare.”
The partnership between Augusta Health and Walmart is partof a nationwide initiative fromthe retail giant as they team upwith local hospitals to offer low-cost, quality care without thewait, seven days a week (including nights and weekends). It’salso a way—in conjunction withAugusta Health Urgent Carefacilities—to relieve overburdened emergency rooms.
According to David Serle, Practice Administrator forConvenient Care Clinics at Augusta Health,the Walmart clinicis owned, operated and staffed by Augusta Health, from nursepractitioners—whosee patients—toadministrative assistants—whohandle patient registration. Augusta Health also provides amedical director to oversee the clinic.
For April Reagan, FNP, one of two nurse practitionerscaring for patients at the clinic, it’s a greatopportunity toget to know the community and provide focused care. “It’ssomething I wouldn’t be able to experience somewhere else,”she says.
All patients who visit the clinic will have a reportgenerated, which is sent to their primary care providerto keep him or her in the loop. Patients who don’t have aprimary care physician will be given a list of all primary careproviders in the area, not just those from Augusta Health.
Costs for Convenient Care vary by service, with routine get-wellor preventive visits costing less than $65, and most less than $40. All costs areclearly posted, and Convenient Care will submit claims to yourinsurance company on your behalf. Some of the conditionstreated and services provided at the clinic include:
• bladder infections
• blood sugar testing
• cholesterol screenings
• dermatologic issues, including acne
• flu
• immunizations
• insect bites and stings
• minor wounds
• poison ivy
• routine physicals (including those for school and work)
• sinus infections
• sore throats
• sprains and strains
• upper respiratory infections and bronchitis
Patients whose conditions are out of the scope of theConvenient Care Clinic will be referred to an urgent care orother facility.
Currently, both walk-in Convenient Care Clinics can treat adults and children age 6 and older. They are open 57 hours per week:
- Monday through Friday, 10 am to 7 pm
- Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm
- Sunday, noon to 5 pm
Finally, Serle stresses that Convenient Care Clinics don’t take the placeof primary care providers, but rather serve as another way forpatients to get treatment for their acute illnesses and injurieswhen they need it.