Urgent care providers (L-R) Michelle Evans, CNP, Lori Schumacher (PA-C), Rachael Haas (PA-C) and Lana Hintze (PA-C).

In mid-May, New Ulm Medical Center’s (NUMC) Walk-in Clinic, a long-standing and popular care option, moved closer to our Emergency Department and re-branded under the new name of Urgent Care.

The changes to the name and the location of the service were made to benefit patients and to ensure extra caution during the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been many questions about the change, so here are the top six things to know about the newly re-branded Urgent Care at NUMC:

1. Going to the new Urgent Care vs. the old Walk-in Clinic will NOT affect how you are charged. Under either name, the visit is billed as a regular clinic visit. The patient’s insurance company will see a clinic visit- NOT an “Urgent Care” visit. The charges will not change and the insurance company will not reimburse differently.

2. If it’s billed the same, why the name change? Urgent Care is the most common name for health care centers that treat non-emergent, yet immediate, care needs that don’t require an appointment. As an Urgent Care, the service will be integrated into the Allina Health website and smart phone app, which guide patients looking for immediate care to the appropriate setting. Options for care include e-visits, virtual visits, urgent care and emergency services. Features of the app allow patients to identify Emergency Department wait times, notify the Urgent Care team that the patient is on their way, use a symptom checker, and more. Walk-in clinics have not had access to these tools in the past.

3. Urgent Care is not located in the same place that the Walk-in Clinic was located. It is located across the hall from the Emergency Department and patients should use the Emergency Department entrance for either of those services. With a shared entrance, closer proximity to emergency services, and a parallel (but separate) check-in process, staff can better guide patients to the appropriate level of care.

4. With COVID-19 concerns, it was of utmost importance to create a safer environment for patients and staff. By co-locating Urgent Care next to the Emergency Department, patients with COVID-19 symptoms are kept in a designated and contained area and traffic is minimized through the space. This will protect other patients and staff.

5. Patients arriving with what they believe to be COVID-19 symptoms should use the Emergency Department/Urgent Care entrance and should NOT enter through the regular clinic doors. All individuals presenting to New Ulm Medical Center will be screened for COVID symptoms, and directed to the appropriate entrance and location for care.

6. Every precaution has been taken so that it is safe for patients to use the Urgent Care, whether or not they are having respiratory symptoms. All patients who come into the facility are asked to wear a mask and undergo temperature screening. Additionally, the Urgent Care space is designed to keep respiratory and non-respiratory patients separated.

For a full list of symptoms seen in the Urgent Care at NUMC, go to allinahealth.org/numc, then select Clinic, then select Urgent Care.