By Jim Hall, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va.
Jun. 16–An urgent-care clinic opens today, and more are on the way.
MediCorp Health System enters the market with a walk-in center off State Route 3 in the Harrison Crossing shopping center in Spotsylvania County.
The parent company of Mary Washington Hospital also plans two more of these clinics in Stafford County.
They’ll be joined this summer by three MinuteClinics inside CVS pharmacies, and in September, by another Prime Care center in Spotsylvania County.
The region has at least nine urgent-care centers, from North Stafford to Ladysmith to the Spotsylvania Courthouse.
All feature evening and weekend hours, accept most insurances and don’t require appointments. Many have lab and X-ray capability, and now boast electronic record-keeping.
The clinics are staffed by doctors or nurse practitioners, who specialize in the treatment of minor illnesses and injuries. Parents also use them for sports or school physicals for their children. Employers purchase drug screening for their employees.
Many times the clinics also become the medical home for patients with chronic problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
“Patient like the convenience,” said Dr. Clif Sheets, one of the owners of Prime Care. “They like the ability that they can walk in when they’re sick and be seen when they’re sick.”
MediCorp will operate its clinics in partnership with NextCare Urgent Care.
The Harrison Crossing center is NextCare’s first in Virginia and 31st overall. The company is based in Arizona, with other clinics in Colorado, Georgia, Texas and North Carolina.
MediCorp will be 80 percent owner of the Fredericksburg-area clinics, said Dr. John Shufeldt, Next-Care’s chief executive officer.
“Without MediCorp, we wouldn’t be here,” he added.
Dr. Sebastian Sicari will be medical director for the three Fredericksburg centers.
For the last nine years, Sicari has worked with Dr. Phil Bustin at the Medical Center of Stafford on Garrisonville Road.
He is board certified in family practice and a resident of Spotsylvania County.
MediCorp’s two other walk-in centers are expected to open late this year and early next year. They will be built on White Oak Road and Warrenton Road, both in southern Stafford.
Prime Care is owned by local physicians. Its original clinic is on Salem Church Road. A second is under construction at the intersection of Courthouse and Smith Station roads.
Sheets said he does not fear market saturation since the area continues to grow.
“Right now, my attitude is the water’s warm, come on in,” he said.
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