New Carlyle Priority Care Building Open…           

                St. Joseph’s in Breese opened a temporary Priority Care facility in Carlyle in November, 2010, broke ground for a permanent building in December, 2011, and welcomed the first patients to the new facility in May, 2012. Almost 10,000 patients have used Priority Care services in the 22 months the facility has been open.

            “This is another example of our hospital’s commitment to the community,” Mark Klosterman, hospital president and Chief Executive Officer, said at the groundbreaking. “There was a need for this type of service and St. Joseph’s is pleased to be able to answer that call.”      

            The facility is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. holidays, and is designed to provide walk-in care for minor injuries and illnesses in all ages, from pediatrics to geriatrics. Although staffed and equipped to offer a wide range of medical care, anyone with a severe medical condition should call 911 and seek emergency treatment.

            “This does not replace the Emergency Room but bridges the gap between regular office hours and emergency medical care,” said Chief Nursing Officer Paulette Evans. “Priority Care’s focus is non-life threatening conditions.”

            Laboratory services have always been available but medical imaging is a new service at Priority Care. The estimated $95,000 in medical imaging equipment was underwritten by the Friends of St. Joseph’s in Breese with proceeds from the 2011 Friends golf tournament, general donations and memorials.

            “We’re grateful to the Friends of St. Joseph’s,” Klosterman said. “With imaging equipment on site, we’ll be able to provide quicker diagnosis and treatment which will be more convenient for our patients.” 

            The building also houses a primary care physician’s office; internal medicine specialist Alberto Butalid, MD, a member of the St. Joseph-Breese medical staff and HSHS Medical Group, now sees private patients in that area.

            Many of the services provided at Priority Care are covered by insurance but anyone using the facility should be aware that higher co-pays may be required.

            “Urgent care centers such as Priority Care are in a different category than a physician’s office or Emergency Room,” Evans said. “It’s important you know your coverage.”

            For more information, contact 526-5411 or pevans@sjb.hshs.org. For Priority Care, call 594-4949.