Wellstar East Point Urgent Care Clinic closing in January
EAST POINT, Ga. - Wellstar's East Point Urgent Care Center is scheduled to close on Jan. 12.
For the past year, Southside Medical Center and Wellstar Health System have been working together to enhance preventive and primary care services in East Point. That includes the transition of urgent care services from Wellstar East Point Health Center (EPHC) to Southside Medical Center’s East Point clinic.
Wellstar says it is investing $5 million over five years to increase services and expand the size and capacity of Southside East Point clinic.
Since the partnership announcement in October 2022, the organizations have been working to establish a medical home for patients who previously received episodic care through Wellstar EPHC urgent care facility. This has resulted in a nearly 65% drop in average urgent care visits, from almost 80 patients per day in October 2022 to 28 patients per day in November 2023, according to Wellstar.
Starting the first week of January, Southside’s East Point clinic will extend urgent care hours to seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., for all patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
Patients who previously received urgent care services at Wellstar EPHC will now reportedly have access to a broader range of services at Southside Medical Center's East Point clinic, including primary care, pediatric care, dental care, OB/GYN services, immunizations, mental health care services virtually, substance abuse support, and specialty care like podiatry, basic optometry, and urology at the main Southside Medical Center clinic.
Southside’s East Point clinic, designated as a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) with FQHC benefits, provides enhanced patient access, decreased pharmaceutical costs, and free transportation to medical appointments.
Wellstar says it is committed to supporting all EPHC team members through this transition, offering them positions at other Wellstar locations. If any impacted Wellstar team member wishes to continue serving the East Point community, collaboration between Wellstar and Southside’s human resource teams will provide opportunities at Southside Medical Center locations.
Both organizations also say they will work closely with community leaders and partners throughout this final transition phase.