UAB Medicine Urgent Care, a convenient clinic backed by the full resources of UAB Medicine, opens today at 7 a.m. to treat adults for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries in its location at 125 20th St. South, Suite 103.
“This is ideal for the downtown community, UAB employees, UAB patients who do not have a primary-care physician, and established primary-care patients who either are unable to see their physician or need to be seen after hours,” said Stuart Cohen, M.D., associate professor of Internal Medicine.
UAB Medicine Urgent Care will be open seven days a week to treat patients ages 18 and older. Operating hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. One medical doctor and one nurse practitioner will be on-site during hours of operation.
“It is a walk-in clinic, so no appointment is necessary,” said Andrew Allen, M.D., UAB School of Medicine graduate and lead physician for the facility, who expects an average of 65 to 70 patients will be seen daily. “We won’t be equipped to handle codes or unstable conditions. Those cases will still need to go to the ER. Everything else should be fair game.”
UAB Medicine Urgent Care will treat patients for all non-emergent medical conditions, such as upper respiratory tract and urinary tract infections, sinusitis, headache, cuts/abrasions, mild orthopedic injuries, hypertensive urgency, and mild exacerbations of chronic conditions including asthma, COPD or congestive heart failure.
The 2,756-square-foot clinic features seven exam rooms, a digital X-ray machine and a moderate complexity lab, and it will employ the UAB electronic health record, which will enable seamless follow-up and communication with other UAB providers.
Clinic physicians will not refill or change narcotic or other controlled substance prescriptions. Patients must have those requests handled by their primary-care physician.
Free parking is available in the deck attached to the clinic building; enter from First Avenue South. Most insurance plans are accepted, and patients are asked to bring their insurance card to their visit.
Housed on the ground floor of a successful apartment development in convenient proximity to the UAB campus and medical complex, as well as the central business district, high visibility and ease of access are benefits to the location.
“This is a high-growth area of downtown and a great urgent care option for downtown employees who need access to this care around their work schedules,” said Thalia Baker, executive director of primary care and development.
For more information, including a map of the clinic location, visit uabmedicine.org/UrgentCare.