SRMC's new walk-in clinic aims to provide quick care

Area residents in need of minor medical treatment will soon have an opportunity to receive that care without long waits.

Sidney Regional Medical Center will begin seeing patients at its new walk-in clinic on Monday. It will primarily serve people who don't need emergency room care

"We held three focus groups with the community," said SRMC's Chief Executive Officer Jason Petik. "The walk-in clinic concept was one of the most talked about and asked for things."

The clinic, which will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., is located at the hospital's physician clinic offices.

Petik said the walk-in clinic will primarily cater to people with such ailments as colds, coughs, minor cuts, earaches, skin rashes, sprains, strains, fevers, allergy symptoms, animal bites and broken bones.

"The key to this new service offering is that the providers will be working very closely together for continuum of care," Petik added. "If the health concern requires additional care, we will transfer the patient to the family practice provider to continue to manage the care required."

Haley Ford, a physician assistant, will serve as the director of the clinic. She comes to Sidney after working for about five years at the Quick Care Medical Services clinic in Scottsbluff.

"She's used to seeing 50 to 75 patients a day," Petik said. "You can do that in a setting like this. That will leave the physicians to focus on chronic issues."

Many of SRMC's physicians are often booked several weeks in advance, Petik said. The opening of the walk-in clinic should open up appointments with these doctors and get the health care process moving faster for patients, he said.

No appointments are accepted at the walk-in clinic. However, Petik said there's nothing wrong with patients calling ahead to see what the wait time is in the clinic and adjusting accordingly as to what time they want to come in.