Mercy, GoHealth to open three urgent care centers in Fort Smith

Mercy Fort Smith will open three new urgent care centers in the next few months. The three new Mercy-GoHealth centers will replace two existing Mercy Convenient Care centers in Fort Smith and open in newly renovated locations near major retail and traffic corridors.

The first of the three, Mercy GoHealth Urgent Care will open Dec. 5 at 6801 Phoenix Ave., with patient care transitioning from Mercy Convenient Care – 79th Street, the news release said. Two more Mercy GoHealth Urgent Care locations will open at 4620 Rogers Ave., Suite 101, and 2501 Market Trace, Suite C, in Fianna Hills in early 2023.

“Every community is experiencing growth in patients who need on-demand, affordable health care, and Fort Smith is no different,” said Sherry Buebendorf, regional president, Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care. “We are thrilled to provide this historic area convenient access to urgent care that is directly connected to the robust services and expertise at Mercy. We look forward to being part of the Fort Smith community and serving residents directly in their neighborhoods.”

Mercy Fort Smith did not have figures available Tuesday on the total cost for the three clinics. However, the city of Fort Smith issued a building permit on Sept. 16 and two others on Sept. 19 to the owners of the three properties for tenant infill or interior remodel. Value of the remodel at Rogers Avenue was listed at $445,000; value of the remodel on Phoenix Avenue was $515,000; and value of the property remodel on Market Trace was $565,000.

Each new center will offer treatment for hundreds of common health concerns for adults and children 6 months and older, including COVID-19, flu, fever, asthma, allergies, minor cuts, burns, pinkeye, urinary tract infections, fractures, sprains, strains and more. Onsite X-ray services and COVID-19 testing will be available.

There will be about 34 jobs between the three locations. Of those, 12 will be physicians and advanced practice providers, along with 22 clinical support staff members, including medical assistants and radiographers, said Mardi Taylor, senior media relations and communications specialist with Mercy Fort Smith.

Each new location will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Patients will have access to care with the options to walk in any center or check wait times or save a spot online and pre-register online. Patients may also connect with a local urgent care provider remotely in a virtual visit, which can be done via a mobile device, computer or tablet, a news release said.

Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care, a partnership between Mercy and GoHealth Urgent Care, also has locations in Bentonville, Rogers, Fayetteville, Springdale and Bella Vista, and in Missouri and Oklahoma.

Atlanta-based GoHealth Urgent Care has 195 centers nationwide. The company partners with “prominent and progressive” health systems to provide quality healthcare, its website states.