First National Urgent Care Franchise Redefines Health Care in Roanoke

Doctor with clipboardA New Solution in Patient Care Opens Doors in the Star City

ROANOKE – November 2011 – While debate over how to improve our nation’s health care system continues, two Roanoke physicians highly-experienced in family practice and urgent care in the community are teaming up with a successful business owner of 30 years to provide a new alternative in efficient and affordable patient care. Doctors Express, the first ever national urgent care franchise, is opening December 3rd in Roanoke to redefine the patient experience by eliminating long waits associated with doctor’s office and emergency room visits. Local physicians Drs. Steve Osborn and Serge Depret-Guillaume will deliver affordable, efficient, non-emergency treatment – no appointment needed. The Doctors Express franchise system concept is already making national headlines (see USA Today article about Doctors Express).

The Roanoke Doctors Express walk-in medical center stands out from other urgent cares by offering a consistent, broad range of treatment and services on the spot. Drs. Osborn and Depret-Guillaume will diagnose and treat illnesses, and have the capabilities to x-ray and set broken bones, all under one roof. The center also has an on-site lab that gives quick test results for ailments such as mono and strep throat and will provide physical exams, drug screenings and inoculations for local employers. The lab is set up to perform many additional diagnostic tests including complete blood counts (CBC), full blood chemistry urinalysis, DOT drug tests, pregnancy tests, STD tests and many more. Plus, the average wait time to see a Doctors Express physician is only 15 – 20 minutes.

“Urgent care fills a void in the medical system, treating those cases which do not require the resources and expense of a hospital emergency room,” says Steve Osborn, MD, Roanoke Doctors Express Medical Director. “Patients want to be treated by experienced physicians without sitting around all day in a waiting room. We believe Doctors Express is an efficient, low-cost health care solution that will improve access to quality medical care throughout the Roanoke area. Every aspect of our business will center on patient satisfaction.”

Currently, there are 37 Doctors Express centers up and running throughout the country. A total of 113 franchises have been awarded in 23 states and 56 will be operating by the end of the first quarter this year. The long term goal is to have 1,000 Doctors Express centers across the nation, so that a recognizable, reliable health care option is available wherever you travel in the U.S.

Consider this:

  • 46 million Americans (1/6 of the population) do not have medical insurance and many do not have a primary physician of choice.
  • The American Medical Association reports it takes an average of 18 days to get an appointment with an internist and 30 days for an appointment with a specialist.
  • A study by the Physicians Foundation reveals the number of primary care physicians is shrinking because nearly half of our nation’s primary care docs, including pediatricians, plan to stop practicing or reduce the number of patients they see over the next 3 years.
  • The CDC attributes the increase in ER visits partly to the difficulty patients have getting an appointment with their primary physician.

The Doctors Express Difference

  • All patients are handled in a single visit: initial doctor’s exam, lab work, x-rays, and minor surgical procedures.
  • Every patient is seen by an experienced physician.
  • Services are affordable and most insurance, including Medicare, is accepted.

 

About Doctors Express:

Doctors Express was founded in Baltimore in 2005 by an emergency room physician and two business executives in Towson, Maryland, seeking a more efficient, affordable and personable system for urgent care patients. Doctors Express walk-in medical centers are sweeping across the country as America’s first nationally branded urgent care centers. Doctors Express provides state-of-the-art, non-emergency treatment for acute illness, trauma and sports injuries (including minor surgical procedures) and has on-site laboratory and digital x-ray service. Pre-employment physicals, drug screening and treatment of work related injuries are also available to local employers. Visit DoctorsExpress.com.

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