As part of an initiative to provide patients with less costly healthcare options, Thomas Jefferson Hospital opened its first urgent care in Northeast Philadelphia on Monday.
Hospital representatives told Bloomberg in January it was investing $20 million to open two new urgent-care centers. Because Jefferson care is expensive – it's an academic hospital equipped to handle complex cases – officials decided to open two urgent care centers as well as offer video consultations.
The Northeast Philly location, at 2607 Rhawn St., was the first to open and launched at 8 a.m. on Monday, according to spokesperson Gail Benner.
“We anticipate that our next location, in Washington Square, Center City, will be open by summer," said Dr. Judd Hollander, associate dean for strategic health initiatives of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.
Since insurers started covering urgent healthcare centers about three years ago, more than 150 have popped up in the Philadelphia region.
The Northeast Philly urgent care center is reserved for treatment of patients with illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening. It is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
