Urgent Care relocates, expands hours to meet needs

     Urgent Care now has a new home within Jones Regional Medical Center in Anamosa, and new hours of operation.

     The service is offered by UnityPoint Clinic at JRMC.

     After a full year of being housed inside the Center for Specialty Medicine, Urgent Care will now be located within the main part of the hospital. Patients needing Urgent Care services are now being asked to enter from the main lobby doors.

     Aside from a new location, Urgent Care will also be expanding its hours from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

     TJ Griebat, clinic administrator and JRMC emergency department manager, said they were seeing a surge of patients coming to Urgent Care, some waiting until they opened their doors, after schools let out at 3 p.m.

     “We definitely met our goals of having enough need,” she said. She said they knew they could reasonably expand hours.

     “We don’t have the ability without major scheduling changes to expand where we are,” explained Griebat. She said the hallways within the specialty clinic are occupied by specialty physicians.

     “With Urgent Care expanding its hours, we didn’t want to impact the hours of the specialty clinic,” added Griebat. “Now there is space within the hospital itself, in a more central area of the hospital.”

     Urgent Care will utilize space previously known as the outpatient area, which was turned into the emergency department (ED) last year during the remodel project.

     “We plan to absorb Urgent Care into that space,” said Griebat. “Urgent Care and the ED will remain separate departments, with Urgent Care still managed by UnityPoint Clinics.” The change is in effect as of noon on Monday, Dec. 5. Signs will be posted, directing patients where to go within the hospital.

     Urgent Care opened just one year ago, Nov. 30, 2015. Since then, the need for Urgent Care services and expanded hours has increased. Griebat said to date they have seen almost 7,000 patients come through for various needs.

     “We track the demand for our services,” she said.

     The top 10 diagnosis Urgent Care has seen include: acute bronchitis, sore throat, ear infection, viral illness/cough, recurrent sinusitis (sinus infection), bladder infection, non-recurrent sinusitis, viral illness, strep throat, and upper respiratory infection.

     Patients stem from neighboring counties, with 84 percent stemming from Jones County within the last three months alone. Patients from Cedar, Linn and Delaware counties are also coming to JRMC for Urgent Care needs.

     The top 10 communities served include: Anamosa, Monticello, other, Olin, Wyoming, Martelle, Hopkinton, Mechanicsville, Onslow, and Springville.

     “We’ve attracted people from places we did not expect,” said Griebat.

     She said it’s a positive economic impact knowing that 7,000 people are coming to Anamosa for medical care that would not likely come before. They’re spending money in the area as well.

     In order to live up to UnityPoint’s mission of efficient and high quality care and service, Urgent Care has had to adjust its staffing levels during peak hours of operation. Griebat said this has also led to other parts of JRMC adjusting hours to coordinate with all departments such as radiology and the lab.

     “As hours expand, we need more hours covered,” she explained. “The number of staff increases.”

     Griebat praised the Urgent Care staff who have earned “extremely high patient satisfaction ratings.” She said their focus is on efficient, timely care.

     “We help fill that gap between getting in with your medical provider and going to the ED,” said Griebat.

     Urgent Care offers medical treatment for a variety of illnesses/injuries: allergies, burns, colds, coughs, cuts, ear aches, fevers, flu, fractures, infections, sore throats, and sprains.

     “We want to give the widest breath possible to meet the patients’ needs,” said Griebat.

     Urgent Care is perhaps not the best place for those experiencing anxiety/depression, chronic pain, needing physicals, or needing care from the ED.

     “We can help you find a primary care doctor to manage their care,” offered Griebat.

     She said there is a distinct difference between reasons to seek care from the ED versus Urgent Care.

     While Urgent Care is a bridge to other services, ED staff cannot advice you on where you need to be seen.

     “Patients need to know where they want to be seen,” suggested Griebat.

New UnityPoint Clinic Urgent Care Hours:

Sunday – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday – noon to 8 p.m.

Tuesday – noon to 8 p.m.

Wednesday – noon to 8 p.m.

Thursday – noon to 8 p.m.

Friday – noon to 8 p.m.

Saturday – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Urgent Care Holiday Hours:

Dec. 24 – 8 a.m. to noon

Dec. 25 – closed

Dec. 26 - 8 a.m. to noon

Dec. 31 – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Jan. 1 – 8 a.m. to noon

Jan. 2 – 8 a.m. to noon