Provided photo Rachael Haas, left, physician assistant, and Michelle Evans, nurse practitioner, members of the new Express Care team at New Ulm Medical Center, stand at the main clinic entrance. As of Oct. 13, this entry will serve both Primary Care and Express Care patients.

NEW ULM — New Ulm Medical Center is changing the name of its Urgent Care Department and moving back to its pre-pandemic location.

Effective Thursday, Oct. 13, NUMC’s Urgent Care will be rebranded “Express Care” and moved back to the Primary Care Clinic.

The actual service will remain unchanged, except patients needing this type of care will enter the medical center from the clinic side of the building rather than the Emergency Department entrance.

The reason for rebranding Urgent Care to Express Care is related to regulatory requirements and hours of operation.

In the medical world, urgent care refers to a center with 24/7 access to non-emergent, acute-care needs that do not require an appointment.

As a hospital-based clinic, NUMC can only offer these 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. By changing the name to Express Care, the medical center distinguishes it services and simplifies its requirements.

The change of location for the department is a return to a previous setup. In spring 2020, NUMC moved its non-emergent, acute-care needs from the clinic side to the Emergency Care side as a COVID precaution.

Director of Regional Clinic Operations Katie Slette said during the COVID-19 surge, NUMC wanted to keep COVID patients separate from non-COVID patients seeking service in the Primary Care Department. With COVID cases on the decline, NUMC is comfortable moving the service back to its original location.

Slette said another reason Express Care will be located with Primary Care is to avoid confusion. Same-day patients entering the Emergency Department doors were uncertain about what level of care was appropriate. By moving it back to the clinic, patients can better self-select the most appropriate level of care.

In addition, having Express Care and Primary Care in the same location will enhance providers’ ability to connect patients to their personal care physician for same-day appointments. Slette said this setup would be more convenient for patients.

Patients wishing to access Express Care should park in the clinic parking lot and enter through the main clinic entrance. Additional signage will be added to help guide patients to the correct location.

Patients can also schedule virtual visits for same-day health care needs.