By: Ryan Duey
Ascension Via Christi Hospital of Manhattan recently announced that it acquired K+STAT Urgent Care of Manhattan, taking over operations on November 1st.
Bob Copple, President of Via Christi in Manhattan, said keeping the care local was a big decision in acquiring K+STAT. This acquisition will also benefit patients in the area.
“Probably 40-ish percent of all emergency room visits are actually not critical and could have gone to somewhere like an urgent care clinic. And so, over time we’ll be working and educating our E.D. population about how urgent care might be a better opportunity for their case. And at a minimum, it’ll take a digit off their bill. But the biggest benefit I think it’s just keeping that care coordination local and having that local input into what’s the priority, what should we be doing, and how should things be done.”
Copple said that K+STAT patients should not see much of a difference when they visit. While there may be some new faces they are all known faces in the area through Via Christi. Copple said the location, name, hours, and service won’t change.
Copple said K+STAT was built to care for the people of the community, and by acquiring it, they can keep the care local.
“The Stone Creek Physicians who have operated K+STAT since, I think 2007 or 2008, they weren’t ever in this to make a lot of money. They were in this to take care of people and keep them here in the community. And that’s kind of again our approach too. We’re not-for-profit and we just think it makes more sense from a clinical care standpoint and a coordination of care standpoint to keep it local.”
K+STAT Urgent Care is open seven days a week, providing care to community members on evenings and weekends. For more information on K+STAT Urgent Care and Via Christi Hospital, or to schedule an appointment visit the Ascension website.
