(Posted Sept. 17, 2018)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Soon, Madison County area residents will have another option for medical care.
Madison Health is building an urgent care facility on Lafayette Street, in front of Walmart and next to Bob Evans. Construction started at the end of August and is scheduled to be done between mid-April and mid-May.
Urgent care serves as a care option for people with minor illnesses and injuries who do not have a primary care physician or who need care outside of their primary care physician’s regular hours. Such facilities can save patients a trip to the hospital emergency room where fees are higher.
“It also will be good for local industry,” said Waldeck, explaining that area businesses can send hirees to the urgent care for pre-employment physicals or for treatment of injuries that happen on the job site.
A physician and/or nurse practitioner will man the 3,800 square-foot facility, which will feature six exam rooms, two procedure rooms, a radiology room for X-rays, and a lab draw area for blood work.
In addition to day-time hours, the facility will be open some evening and weekend hours.
“We’re incredibly excited to get this done,” said Bob Waldeck, the hospital’s vice president of strategy and construction management.
Every three years, social service and medical care agencies in Madison County conduct a community needs assessment.
“Urgent care is always way up there on the list,” Waldeck said.
In other construction news, the $25 million expansion project on the hospital’s main campus at 210 N. Main St. is on time and on budget. The addition will house a new emergency department, cancer center, and offices for medical specialists. The specialists’ offices are scheduled to open in early to mid-October. The rest of the project will be finished in late December or early January.
