New clinic set to open at Chubbuck Walmart

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Story Published: Jun 15, 2009 at 5:27 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jun 15, 2009 at 6:17 PM MDT

By Wes Horrocks

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CHUBBUCK - The next time you pick-up your bread and milk, you can also get a quick check-up.

Its all thanks to the new clinic that Portneuf Medical Center and Walmart are opening inside the Chubbuck grocery store next week.

The idea behind facilities like the Walmart Clinic is to offer an alternative to the emergency room. Gary Black, Chubbuck Walmart Store Manager said, "The biggest thing is making it accessible and affordable." Something many people are looking for because of the economy.

Physicians Immediate Care, for example, charges members $40 for a visit, and they've seen a big increase of patients as more people are losing their jobs. Dr. Warren Willey said, "They can still get excellent, quality medical care, all the appropriate tests at a big discount."

But along with saving money these clinics will also save a lot of time. especially when it comes to waiting to see a doctor. Chris Yensen, R.N., Walmart Clinic Manager said, "Normal treatment time is about 12 to 15 minutes."

And because it's inside a store the Walmart Clinic offers you a pager so that rather than wait, you can pick-up your groceries and they'll let you know when they're ready for you. Yensen said, "They're set-up for people that have multiple things they want to do. They have a sick child, and they want to get some Tylenol, or something for their child, something for them to drink."

And while the clinics can't replace traditional hospitals, it's expected their popularity is going to continue to grow. Willey said, "We're a very, I need it now society. I have a lot to do so get me in there."

Black added, "It's going to get more people to go and get things looked at, and maybe have some early detection on things that they can get taken care of quicker that might not have gotten taken care of before."

The Walmart Clinic in Chubbuck will open on Monday June 22nd, making it the 34th clinic of it's kind in the country.

In Blackfoot, a similar clinic is currently under construction and is expected to open in July.

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