LEBANON — Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital opened a new express care clinic last week.
The clinic is able to treat patients without an appointment who need same-day attention for non-emergency concerns, according to a news release from the Lebanon hospital.
“We are proud to bring APD Express Care to our community,” Susan Mooney, APD’s CEO, said in a Monday email. “This new clinic expands access to the exceptional, compassionate care that APD is known for.”
Anyone age 1 and up can receive treatment at the clinic for concerns including sprains, minor breaks, minor cuts and bruises, cold and flu, ear pain, rashes and back pain, the release said.
Patients with more acute issues — such as persistent chest pressure, severe cuts and burns, difficulty breathing, stomach pain or sudden dizziness — should instead go to the emergency department.
Located in the center of the APD campus at the Robert A. Mesropian Center, the clinic utilized empty clinical space and did not require any new construction or cost, Dartmouth Health spokesperson Audra Burns said in a Monday email.
The clinic space was an infusion site prior to 2020 renovations, according to APD’s website.
The new clinic comes in response to lack of primary care availability in the core of the Upper Valley, Burns said. New employees have been hired for the clinic, which is staffed with emergency department trained MDs and advanced practice providers, nurses, medical assistants and advanced EMTs, she said.
The clinic typically has shorter wait times and lower co-pays than an emergency department visit, APD’s website says. The billing rate is generally similar to that of urgent care clinics, though exact costs depend on individual insurance plans, Burns said.
Most insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid, according to APD’s website.
For the rest of the month, the new clinic is in operation Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. , Burns said.
Beginning on Oct. 6, the clinic will operate Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Burns said.