First national urgent care franchise redefines healthcare in Southcenter area

A new solution in patient care opens doors
(PR NewsChannel) / February 2, 2012 / KENT, Wa. 
Doctors Express Kent Wa

Doctors Express serving Seattle area

While debate over the nation’s healthcare system continues, two local business executives are teaming up with an experienced emergency medicine physician and her full medical staff, to provide a new alternative in efficient and affordable patient care.  Doctors Express, the first ever national urgent care franchise, is now open in the Southcenter area, on 180th & West Valley Highway, to re-define the patient experience by eliminating long waits associated with doctor’s office or emergency room visits.

Glen Fauntleroy, formerly of Caterpillar Inc., along with his wife and business partner, Patti David, formerly with The Boeing Co for 12 years, who own the franchise management company, were awarded the exclusive rights to the Doctors Express center in the Southcenter area, along with their Medical Director, Dr. Marilyn Gibbs.  She will deliver affordable, efficient, non-emergency treatment to almost anyone who walks in.  The Doctors Express franchise system concept is already making national headlines (see USA Today article about Doctors Express). 

Dr. Gibbs has lived in the Seattle area for more than twenty years.  She has 25 years of experience as an ER physician, working in one of the busiest ERs in the Seattle area. She is board certified in emergency medicine and internal medicine. Dr. Gibbs will treat patients and oversee all of the day-to-day medical operations at the center.

The Southcenter 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. Dr. Gibbs will diagnose and treat illnesses, dispense medication and have the capabilities to X-ray and set broken bones, all under one roof. The center also has on-site labs that give quick test results for ailments such as mono and strep throat and will provide employment and sports physical exams, drug screenings and work-site inoculations for local employers. Plus, the average wait time to see a Doctors Express physician is only 15 – 20 minutes.

Dr. Marilyn Gibbs-Doctors Express

Dr. Marilyn Gibbs, Medical Director - Doctors Express

“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 Dr. Gibbs. “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 healthcare solution that will improve access to quality medical care.  Every aspect of our business will center on patient/customer satisfaction.” 

Currently, there are 44 Doctors Express centers up and running throughout the country.  A total of 113 franchises have been awarded in 24 states and 70 will be operating by the end of the year.  The long term goal is to have 1,000 Doctors Express centers across the nation, so that a recognizable, reliable healthcare 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, minor surgical procedures and in-house medication dispensing.
  • Every patient is seen by an experienced physician.
  • Services are affordable and most insurance, including Medicare, is accepted.  Those who pay with cash receive a discount on services.  Out-of-pocket costs are a fraction of what you could pay for a trip to an emergency room.

The Doctors Express Urgent Care Southcenter

Opened to the public on January 28th

Located at 18012 West Valley Highway

Center hours: Monday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

To learn more about the Doctors Express center in the Southcenter area, visit http://www.doctorsexpresskentwa.com/

To learn more about Doctors Express centers, visit http://www.doctorsexpress.com/

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 DoctorsExpresskentwa.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Glen Fauntleroy
Doctors Express
Email:
Phone: 425-291-3300

Direct link:  https://prnewschannel.com/2012/02/02/first-national-urgent-care-franchise-redefines-healthcare-in-southcenter-area/

SOURCE:  Doctors Express

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