In February, Morton Plant's Immediate Care Center saw 475 patients who may have turned to the emergency room.
By MEGAN SCOTT
Published March 10, 2004
LARGO - Now there's no need to go to the hospital for a sprain, strain or ear infection.
And tracking down your doctor isn't necessary either.
Morton Plant opened the Immediate Care Center at Bardmoor last month for patients with minor injuries and illnesses, such as the flu or common cold. The center has office hours seven days a week, takes walk-in clients and accepts most insurance plans.
"It's really a model that we believe addresses a gap in access to care," said Philip Beauchamp, president and chief executive of Morton Plant Hospital. "Many people have a private physician and for most people access to that physician is during normal hours.
"What has happened in immediate care for minor illnesses is that people tend to come to the emergency room. That's a very costly alternative."
The 3,750-square-foot center is located in front of Morton Plant's Bardmoor Outpatient and Surgery Center on Bryan Dairy Road.
That surgery center opened in 1998 and consists of mainly physicians' offices and surgical rooms. It is not designed for weekend or after-hours care, Beauchamp said.
The new immediate care center consists of an outpatient rehabilitation clinic for work-related injuries. It offers physical therapy, along with certain radiology and laboratory services. The center also offers physicals and drug screenings.
It is the only center in Largo that is run by a hospital and treats minor injuries, such as sinus infections, small fractures, cuts and burns, Beauchamp said.
So far, the Immediate Care Center at Bardmoor has exceeded expectations. In February, it saw 475 patients, twice what hospital officials had projected.
"The response in the community has been far, far greater than we had ever expected, which I believe documents and supports the need for this," Beauchamp said.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Morton Plant Immediate Care Center at Bardmoor is located at 8711 Bryan Dairy Road in front of Morton Plant's Bardmoor Outpatient and Surgery Center. It is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. No appointments are necessary, and most insurance plans are accepted. For more information, call 394-5700.
