Urgent care centers open to fill gaps

Two New Jersey health systems have recently opened satellite locations to address gaps in care in their communities.

Two New Jersey health systems have recently opened satellite locations to address gaps in care in their communities.

On March 2, Valley Health System cut the ribbon on its seventh primary and urgent care center, in Wayne.

Dr. Phyllis Marino, president of the Valley Health Medical Group, said the Wayne location was chosen for its large population and the “magnified” need for primary-care physicians in the area.

Medical Group locations are designed to offer acute care for minor injuries and illnesses in the same setting as primary care, in order to prevent unnecessary emergency department visits and provide convenience to patients.

“We’ve increased size in our other centers — increased numbers of physicians and numbers of visits — and I think the success is owed to the model,” Marino said. “We provide routine primary care, ongoing care for chronic conditions, but we also have availability evenings, weekends and holidays … it’s been very helpful for people to be able to access not only their routine care, but if they feel ill, to be seen in a very timely fashion.”

Marino added that the model is “very cost effective and patient-centric.”

“If you live in Wayne and have a relationship with the Wayne practice — but work in Montvale or Hawthorne, and cut your finger or get into a minor problem— you can go to a location there, too,” said Ken Parker, spokesman for Valley Health System. “The fact that there’s seven (locations) I think would give people some reassurance that they’re going to part of a system where regionally we’re a provider,”

“It’s really expanding the role of the primary-care physician to not just the routine needs, but help take care of those more minor acute needs,” Marino said. “It’s a more efficient and pleasant way to deal with health care problems.”

St. Peter’s Healthcare System, based in New Brunswick, also recently opened an urgent care center, in Montgomery Township.

The Skillman facility was opened partially in response to the Princeton HealthCare System moving its main hospital to Route 1, in Plainsboro. The center is staffed by an emergency medicine physician, a licensed practical nurse, a lab technician and an X-ray technician.

“The center will help fill the gap in availability of urgent care treatment in the surrounding community,” said Ronald C. Rak, president and CEO of St. Peter’s, in an announcement.

Spokesman Phil Hartman said the center has already exceeded expected patient volume in the first seven weeks of operation.