For information: Dean Carr 918.665.1520

For Immediate Release: January 3, 2007

MedCenter Opens in Midtown

Tulsa's newest urgent care facility, MedCenter Midtown, opens this week bringing to three the number of centers operated by MedCenter physicians.

MedCenter, Tulsa's longest-established provider of urgent care services, is opening a 6,000-square-foot clinic in midtown at 1623 S. Utica.

The new center is the third facility, owned and operated by a group of emergency physicians. The original MedCenter opened almost 30 years ago at 29th Street and Garnett Road and MedCenter South opened in 2003 at 81st Street and Highway 169.

Dr. Doug Moore, medical director and founding partner of MedCenter, said there's a population of approximately 160,000 in midtown without convenient access to urgent care services.

"We feel that a third MedCenter is needed in midtown because there's a shortage of urgent care in that area and it can be a long wait for people to get immediate, non-life-threatening needs seen in hospital emergency rooms," Moore said.

MedCenter is a walk-in center for treatment of non-life-threatening problems ranging from sore throats and allergies to sprains, back injuries, infections, and fractures. If patients require hospitalization, they are referred to the hospital of their choice.

Additionally, all centers provide comprehensive occupational medicine services for area businesses including physical exams, drug and alcohol screening, on-site safety consultations, and more.

"We see the whole family, from 6 months to 90 years old, and about half of our patients we see on follow-up or are returning with new problems," he said. On average, 105-110 patients are seen daily at the Garnett facility, 60 to 65 daily at MedCenter South.

MedCenters are each staffed by board certified emergency care physicians and certified physician's assistants. All staff members are trained in emergency care.

The newest MedCenter is located on lots formerly occupied by an outdated apartment building and a Health South office. The apartment building was razed and the renovated office building is incorporated into the total 6,000 square foot center.

MedCenters offer complete laboratory and x-ray services on-site.

Moore said demand for urgent care is increasing for several reasons including:

• Convenience - parking at the front door and walk-in without appointments.
• Waiting time is minimal. Most patients are in and out in one to one and a half hours.
• Extended hours -- 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• Average cost is only slightly more than at a physician's office and more than one-third less than a hospital emergency room.
• All major insurance programs are accepted. Additionally, for uninsured patients, a 15 percent total discount is available.

"For nearly 30 years, MedCenter has focused exclusively on offering people experienced and convenient urgent care services," Moore said. "That's what we do well and that's what we're doing now in midtown."