Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the Orleans Parish Hospital Service District "A" has announced the opening of urgent care services at the New Orleans East Hospital on the former Methodist Hospital Campus. East After Hours Urgent Care, located at 5640 Read Boulevard on the 5th floor, began on July 31 12:00 noon. A grand opening of East After Hours Urgent Care will take place on Tuesday, August 9th, 2011.
Ironically, the first patient arrived 37 minutes after the doors officially open.
The Landrieu Administration and Hospital Service District A are moving quickly to build a full-service hospital with emergency care in New Orleans East. The opening of East After Hours Urgent Care restores 24-hour medical care to the New Orleans East community and brings the return of a full service hospital in 2013 one step closer.
"Delivering a full service hospital to residents in New Orleans East has been a top priority of my administration," said Mayor Landrieu. "The opening of urgent care services is one of many significant steps we have taken to make a full service hospital a reality. We need urgent care now as we keep pushing forward on the hospital so that a mother never again has to drive 30 minutes to find treatment for a child suffering from an asthma attack or in need of stitches. I commend the Hospital Service District Board for their dedication and will continue to work with them until we have a quality, full service hospital."
"I would like to thank our board, who has worked tirelessly to make this happen," said Ronnie Burns, Chairman of the Hospital Service District Board. "This paves the way for a first class hospital for the citizens of New Orleans East, the Lower Ninth Ward, and Gentilly. I look forward to continuing my work with the Mayor to restore a full service hospital for our community."
"Today, we mark another milestone in our progress towards opening a full service hospital," said Dr. Karen DeSalvo, the City's Health Commissioner. "We have been working with a singular focus towards our goal of a full service hospital because the residents in New Orleans East deserve no less. The urgent care facility is a first step towards this and will provide vital services that the community desperately needs."
"The opening of an urgent care facility at Methodist Hospital site is an important step in meeting the medical needs of the citizens of New Orleans East," said District E Councilman Jon Johnson. "I applaud all of the parties involved in making this urgent care facility a reality, the Hospital Service District, the Landrieu Administration, the City Council, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, and Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, for fulfilling the promise of an urgent care facility at the former Methodist Hospital site by the end of this month. This opening is the result of countless hours of hard work and will provide significantly needed medical services to our community. My number one priority as Councilman for District E remains the opening of a full service hospital facility in New Orleans East, and we will not rest until this goal is accomplished."
East After Hours Urgent Care, operated by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, will operate Monday through Fridays, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday 24 hours a day.
Urgent care hours complement the primary health care center's hours, Monday through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., restoring 24-hour service. The primary health care center, currently operated by the City, is also located on the 5th Floor of 5640 Read Boulevard and provides primary and preventative care services including prenatal, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric. Specific treatments include chronic illnesses, behavior and mental healthcare, pharmacy services and dental.
Urgent care and paramedic triage services will treat walk-in patients whose care needs are immediate. When patients enter the building, a first-floor paramedic staffed triage station will evaluate patient needs for appropriateness of care, and refer them to either the 5th floor urgent care or to a local hospital emergency room. This facility is not an emergency room.
Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance will be accepted, and a financial assistance program is available for uninsured individuals. Professional staff will be on site to conduct patient consultations and distribute information regarding new Medicare and Medicaid laws, regulations and eligibility requirements.
Vincent Sylvain is publisher of The New Orleans Agenda.com, the leading local alternative for information on News, Arts, Culture & Entertainment in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region.
Photos by Vincent Sylvain.
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