A new healthcare option is coming to Lee County.  Thursday, Phoebe broke ground on an urgent care clinic at Lee Crossings on US Highway 19 South.  The clinic will be located in a growing part of southwest Georgia, adjacent to a Publix Supermarket and Chick Fil A restaurant.

“We are committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate and convenient care for people throughout southwest Georgia.  We’re looking to take our services beyond the walls of our hospitals and into communities in the region, so people can easily access the care they need, when and where they need it,” said Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System President & CEO.

The clinic will be open on weekends and offer extended hours on weekdays to provide care for non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries.  “We know it’s often difficult to get an immediate appointment with your primary care physician when you need to see a doctor right away.  And we certainly don’t want people to spend extra time and money seeking care in the emergency room for an issue that isn’t a true emergency.  That’s where our network of urgent care centers comes in, providing treatment that is appropriate, affordable and available,” said Suresh Lakhanpal, MD, Phoebe Physicians Chief Executive Officer.

The project is part of Phoebe Focus, the strategy to lead the health system into the future and ensure southwest Georgians are able to access the healthcare services they need.  “When we unveiled Phoebe Focus in 2019, we promised major investments in several key areas, including expanding our ambulatory care network,” Steiner said.  “While the COVID-19 pandemic stalled some of our plans, it did not derail them.  We remain committed to building more health centers to improve access to quality care for more people.”

The 3,500 square foot facility at Lee Crossings will include six exam rooms, as well as onsite x-ray and lab capabilities.  Phoebe Physicians plans to hire an additional 10-12 employees to operate the clinic.  In addition to more than 40 primary, specialty and community care clinics, Phoebe Physicians operates two other urgent care clinics – Phoebe Urgent Care at Northwest and Phoebe Urgent Care of East Albany. 

“We are proud to employ more than 300 providers who offer a continuum of care so the people of southwest Georgia can stay here at home for the treatment they need,” Dr. Lakhanpal said.  “We have an outstanding urgent care team under the leadership of Dr. Manishkumar Joshi, and we are excited to expand that team and begin offering urgent care services in Lee County soon.”

Construction on the project will begin immediately, with an expected completion date of early November.