It’s called healthcare at the speed of life. Northwest Community Healthcare launched the first NCH FastCare on Monday, Oct. 3, inside the Palatine Jewel-Osco at 423 E. Dundee Road. Days and hours of service are listed below.
NCH FastCare is a patient care clinic that offers walk-in treatments for a variety of common ailments. Care is provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants under the guidance of NCH Medical Group physicians. The cost is just $59 per visit, and the patient’s insurance provider can be billed.
“We know that nearly half of the people in our community don’t have a primary care physician, and many are without health insurance as well,” said Michael Hartke, executive vice president of Clinics and Regional Services at NCH. “It’s an affordable option that gets people feeling better quickly, with maximum convenience.”
NCH FastCare provides treatments for allergies, ear infections, small cuts and burns, rashes, bruises, cold and flu symptoms, sinus pain, sore throats and other minor illnesses and injuries. Lab services are available for pregnancy tests, monospots, rapid strep, TB skin tests and urinalysis.
“The primary difference between our new facility and other retail health clinics is a direct link to the comprehensive NCH system of care,” Hartke said. “FastCare will utilize the same electronic medical record system as the NCH Medical Group and eventually of our immediate care centers. This enables doctors to coordinate a patient’s care regardless of the facility the patient chooses to access.”
The hours of NCH FastCare are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Holiday hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the clinic is closed on Christmas Day.
NCH FastCare is a pilot program in partnership with Wisconsin-based Bellin Health, which established FastCare retail health clinics in 2006 and has 56 in operation or under construction in 13 states. The Palatine Jewel-Osco location is the only NCH FastCare planned at this time.
“We’ll evaluate the facility’s performance and determine its value to the community before considering additional sites,” Hartke said.
Community members with questions about the medical services provided at NCH FastCare should call the clinic at 847.725.8620. More information on hospital services can be found at www.nch.org.