Allegheny Health Network to relocate urgent care services in New Kensington

Those needing medical care that doesn’t require a trip to a hospital emergency room will have a new option come July 1 in New Kensington.

Allegheny Health Network will open an Express Care clinic at the United Physicians practice at 305 7th St., just across the street from the main entrance of the former Citizens General Hospital.

“It really provides a similar service at a lower cost to patients,” said Jeff Carlson, interim president of Allegheny Valley Hospital.

Patients can get treatment for allergies, coughs and colds, minor burns, cuts, sprains and other ailments that aren’t life-threatening emergencies.

The Express Care clinic will replace the Urgent Care Center that is located at the former hospital, Carlson said. The hospital, which closed in 2000, still will be used as a lab and testing facility.

The express care model particularly helps people who have co-pays as the charge for a visit to such a clinic can be significantly less than a trip to an emergency room, Carlson said.

The Express Care program will be led by Dr. Joseph Martinez and staffed by other United Physicians in the practice.

Those who seek treatment and do not have a primary care physician will be encouraged to use the practice for regular checkups, Carlson said.

No other changes are expected in New Kensington, which remains an important market for AHN, Carlson said.

The Urgent Care Center in the city averaged about 4,500 visits annually, he said.

The Express Care model is already used at four other locations and it’s been successful, AHN said.