Your child falls down at the playground and then complains of a sore wrist. You contemplate taking her in to get an x-ray, but thoughts of long waits and emergency department co-pays make you cringe.
Can you relate? If so, you’ll be glad to know Carle now offers another option.
Convenient Care Plus, which opened in March inside of Carle Hospital in Urbana, offers “traditional” convenient care treatment as well as expanded services like advanced lab testing and imaging.
It’s for patients who have symptoms that aren’t minor or serious, but fall somewhere in between. Injuries that require x-rays, pain that may need an ultrasound, symptoms that need lab test results right away— Convenient Care Plus is designed for patients that need immediate, but not emergency care.
(Carle provides this symptom checker to help patients determine where to seek treatment.)
“We put it in place because we had patients that needed a little more than regular Convenient Care could offer,” says Dr. Tracy Grotrian. “If patients need more tests done to determine whether or not they’re safe to go home and they’re not having any life-threatening issues, Convenient Care Plus is a great service.”
Chenoa Kuester from Mahomet shares her experience with Convenient Care Plus: “If you are unsure whether you should just go to convenient care or the ER, this is where to go! They were phenomenal. No wait at all, nurses and doctors were amazing, I had labs, ekg, CT scans, and all other testing done and results back along with a diagnosis and plan in four hours!”
Another benefit to Convenient Care Plus is its location, which may be more accessible to some patients than the Curtis and Windsor Convenient Care facilities.
“There isn’t a location for even Convenient Care in northern Urbana so we are reaching a different population that doesn’t have access to some of those (locations) on the outskirts of town,” says Jamie Mullin with Carle Public Relations. “
Dr. Grotrian says the response since opening in the spring has been very positive. “Our patients are very appreciate of the services we can offer. We’re looking still to grow, but expect to increase our numbers and patient care as word gets out.”
Convenient Care Plus hours are Monday-Sunday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., including holidays. Patients can enter through Patient Registration in the Orchard Street lobby. Parking is also available in the Orchard Street garage.
Appointments are not necessary but can be made via MyCarle.
For more information, go here.
