USA Health partnership expands access to urgent care in south Mobile County
This partnership provides an additional option for patients who need prompt evaluation and treatment for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries but may not be able to obtain a timely primary care appointment.
By Michelle Ryan-Day
[email protected]
USA Health is partnering with Greater Mobile Urgent Care to expand access to timely medical care for patients in south Mobile County.
Through the partnership, the Greater Mobile Urgent Care location on Rangeline Road provides an additional option for patients who need prompt evaluation and treatment for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries but may not be able to obtain a timely primary care appointment.
The clinic can serve as an extension of the care continuum, helping patients receive appropriate treatment for conditions that do not require an emergency department visit. USA Health providers may encourage appropriate patients to consider the clinic when they need convenient, timely care outside the availability of their usual provider.
“Urgent care provides an important option for patients who need medical attention without the time, expense and inconvenience that can accompany an emergency department visit for a non-emergency condition,” said Darren Waters, M.D., medical director for Greater Mobile Urgent Care.
Greater Mobile Urgent Care treats a broad range of common illnesses and minor injuries, including respiratory infections, sinus infections, sore throats, earaches, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, rashes, allergic reactions, sprains, strains, back and joint pain, minor burns and lacerations, and suspected fractures. Depending on the condition, services may include X-rays, EKGs, selected testing, medications and IV fluids for dehydration.
The partnership also builds on an established relationship between Greater Mobile Urgent Care and the University of South Alabama. Several physicians affiliated with the practice have connections to the Whiddon College of Medicine and USA Health residency programs, strengthening an existing connection between the organizations and the local medical community.
“Our partnership with Greater Mobile Urgent Care is about access, plain and simple,” said Natalie Fox, DNP, PNP-BC, chief executive officer of USA Health. “Families in south Mobile County deserve timely, high-quality care close to home, without a long drive or a long wait in an emergency room. Together, we’re making it easier for our neighbors in Tillmans Corner and beyond to get care when they need it, and connecting them to the full strength of USA Health when they need more.”
Urgent care is intended to complement, not replace, a patient's established primary care or specialty care. Patients should continue to receive preventive care, chronic disease management and ongoing care from their established providers.
For USA Health providers, the partnership offers another resource when patients need evaluation for an acute, non-emergency condition and timely access to their usual provider is limited. It also can help direct patients to an appropriate level of care while reserving emergency departments for conditions requiring emergency-level evaluation and treatment.
The Rangeline Road clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Providers and staff can learn more about Greater Mobile Urgent Care and its services at greatermobileurgentcare.com or by calling 251-633-0123.
Patients experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms, including chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, signs of stroke or major trauma, should call 911 or seek emergency medical care immediately.
