NEW ULM — As the New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC) restarts non-essential procedures, two changes will be implemented starting Saturday.

The walk-in clinic will be relocated to the emergency entrance and redesignated Urgent Care.

NUMC Human Resource Director Katie Slette said the former walk-in clinic will be moved closer to the emergency department, primarily to separate patients with respiratory issues from those without respiratory issues. Respiratory patients and non-respiratory patients will not interact. Separate processes and spaces for each group has been set up.

“We’re asking anyone using the walk-in clinic or with respiratory issues to use the emergency entrance,” Slette said. The emergency entrance will continue to be used for emergencies. Urgent Care will be completely separate from the Emergency Department. Patients will only walk through the same exterior door. The walk-in clinic is also being renamed Urgent Care as a better reflection of the NUMC model of service.

People coming to the medical center for surgery, OB, lab, radiology, PT, and non-respiratory patients with scheduled appointments should use the main clinic entrance closest to Oak Hills. The main clinic doors will only be open during regular business hours.  Patients needing to enter the building at any other time will need to use the Emergency Department entrance.

No matter which entrance is used, NUMC staff will be screening people entering the building and will redirect individuals if needed.

“It will be a safe environment,” Slette said.

Virtual visits with providers are also still an option if patients do not wish to visit in person. When restrictions related to COVID-19 were put in place, NUMC utilized video conference technology to offer virtual visits and this proved a popular option, which is still available to patients.

Since restrictions were lifted last week NUMC has seen an increase in patient visits. Slette said it has not reached the pre-COVID-19 levels, but the medical center is getting closer.

“We feel we can meet the needs of the community,” she said.