Dear Editor:

After having several conversations with patients and Boothbay region residents, I thought the community may be interested in how the new urgent care center is coming along.

As the medical director of the center, I can state without hesitation, that we are very pleased with the quality of care we’re providing, our lower charges and the community’s willingness to use the facility.

While we acknowledge that healthcare continues to be very expensive, we have significantly reduced our charges for the exact same procedures we provided as an emergency department.

The Urgent Care Center occupies the exact same place as the former St. Andrews Emergency Department, and since October 1, 2013, the it has been open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A quick comparison of patient volume statistics shows that in our first three months of service (October-December 2013) we treated 700 urgent care patients. During the same three months last year, we treated 719 patients when the department was opened 24/7. These are reasonably good numbers for a new medical service, and we believe that these numbers will grow.

While there has been a concerted effort educating the community about how to use an urgent care center, we are still hearing a few key questions:

When should I use urgent care? Urgent care is for patients who need prompt attention for injuries or illness that are not life-threatening (e.g. sore throats, ankle sprains, rashes, minor lacerations).

What is emergency care? Emergency care is for life-threatening situations such as heart attacks, strokes and severe injuries. It’s for patients experiencing symptoms such as chest pain, severe shortness of breath, acute dizziness, passing out, or pregnancy-related complications. These are examples of when you should always call 911 and be treated by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals as soon as possible.

Is the urgent care center going to close like the emergency department did? Like any medical service, as long as residents continue to use it in sufficient numbers it will remain open and available.

Finally, I want to recognize and thank our dedicated and talented clinical staff who worked so hard during our transition. These are fantastic people, and I’m proud to work with a group that is so determined to provide the very best for their patients.

Tim Fox, MD