Injury and illness don't follow normal business hours, so it's important to have a place to go when a medical situation doesn't necessarily warrant a trip to the emergency room. That is the idea behind St. Joseph Express, the 2009 Readers' Choice winner for "Best Urgent Care/Emergency Facility."
St. Joseph Express – College Station opened in College Station at 4401 Hwy 6 South in January 2008. It was started by St. Joseph Regional Health Center to improve access to medical care when people could not get into their family physician's office. The facility was designed to handle patients with a variety of urgent medical needs, ranging from illnesses to minor injuries. They can do suturing of cuts and lacerations, X-rays, lab testing, vaccinations. The center can do school or employment physicals, as well as sports injuries and other urgent medical care. "The College Station facility saw about 11,000 patients last year," said Kristi Morales, Director of Marketing for St. Joseph Regional Health Center. "The average wait time is about 15 minutes, and no appointments are needed."
The College Station clinic was so successful that a second St. Joseph Express at 2010 E. Villa Maria in Bryan was opened in March of this year.
The clinics are open from 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays, 8 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and from Noon-6 pm on Sundays. In addition to the convenient hours, most patients will be able to see a physician during their visit to ensure the best treatment possible. "People have come to depend on us because we are open every day – we've been open on every holiday offering medical care, and we were open the afternoon that Hurricane Ike came through last year and saw patients."
Morales said she thinks the beautiful new facilities and great care are the keys for the early success St. Joseph Express has enjoyed.
"We've got quality people that deliver healthcare with compassion and great customer service," she said. "Plus there's the fact you can get in and out quickly and you can see a physician in most cases."
St. Joseph Express has lab and x-ray facilities on site and accepts the Scott & White Health Plan and most major insurances, allowing people to get the treatment they need with the security of knowing their health plans are accepted. That convenience and reliability helped St. Joseph Express earn the trust of the community in a short time.
"It's a wonderful honor that we built such a loyal customer base so quickly," Morales said. "We want to thank everyone who voted for us."
