Representatives of the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and Bay Area Urgent Care (located on S.R. 54) cut the ribbon at the facility’s official Grand Opening on June 15.

Bay Area Urgent Care will likely change your perception of how a medical center that is located outside of a hospital should look and feel.

The new facility, located at 5504 Gateway Blvd., off S.R. 54, just west of I-75, boasts an impressive, arched entrance which welcomes patients with two friendly secretaries who will take your information before you take a seat in the spotless waiting room.

Convenience is definitely one of the themes at this new urgent care center. David Weiss, director of operations for the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), admitted during Bay Area Urgent Care’s Chamber- sponsored ribbon cutting ceremony on June 15 that, like many people, he is never excited about visiting the doctor’s office, especially during football season. However, under his wife’s orders, he stopped into Bay Area when he was feeling ill, and to his delight he was, “seen, treated and sent home in time to catch the game.”

Aesthetically, Bay Area Urgent Care is impressive enough to make you start feeling better, even before you see a doctor. However, the facility just so happen to be competently staffed with skilled doctors, nurses and X-ray technicians. Open every day, Bay Area Urgent Care houses 20 employees, including two physicians who specialize in family medicine. While filling out your paperwork, make sure you take a moment to enjoy the saltwater fish tank, and the surround sound music that fills the room up to the cathedral ceilings.

The new facility is playing a vital role in the health care of Wesley Chapel. Doug Duffield, CEO and president of Bay Area Urgent Care, described the facility as a, “one stop shop” for any non-life-threatening ailments, including; fractures, sprains and strains, vaccinations, colds, coughs, pneumonia, or bronchitis. The building also includes on-site lab and X-ray departments, as well as a pharmacy and an electronic medical records system.

“Fifty percent of patients in a hospital’s Emergency Room may not need to be in the E.R.,” Duffield said. “But they do need medical attention.” That is where Bay Area Urgent Care comes in. The facility is meant to be a middle ground between your family physician and the hospital’s emergency room. One of Bay Area’s doctors, Jeremy McConnell, MD., said, “This is the place to come when it’s after 5 p.m. and your family doctor is out of the office, and it may not be serious enough for the hospital, but you still need sympathetic and competent health care.”

“We’ve received a very positive response from the (Wesley Chapel) community, patients and physicians,î Duffield added. In fact, he notes that the company plans to open more urgent care centers in the local area.

Another unique aspect of Bay Area Urgent Care is that it is supported, and ultimately owned and operated by Adventist Health Systems, which also owns Florida Hospitals Zephyrhills and the under-construction Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. According to Duffield, this makes for a more wellrounded local medical community. “Our physicians can collaborate with the hospital’s physicians, and our (electronic medical) records can access the hospital’s (records),” Duffield said.

Bay Area Urgent Care also can make physicals for the upcoming school year or for sports teams easy for parents. No appointment is necessary and the cost is just $20 during operating hours.

Bay Area Urgent Care is located at 5504 Gateway Blvd., off S.R 54, just west of I-75. It is open daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information, call 948-5400.