Vhi SwiftCare Clinic opens in Waterford in partnership with Whitfield Clinic
- Waterford’s first walk-in, urgent care clinic

October 9th, 2008 – The Vhi SwiftCare Clinic located in Whitfield Clinic, Waterford city, is now open to treat patients with minor injuries and illnesses it was announced today.   This is the fourth Vhi SwiftCare Clinic opened by Vhi Healthcare in partnership with Centric Health and is the first to be located outside Dublin.  A fifth clinic will also open in the coming weeks in Cork. 

The Waterford Vhi SwiftCare Clinic will follow the same model which has already proved so successful in the three existing facilities in Dublin, providing walk-in, rapid assessment, treatment and advice for patients with a range of minor injuries and illnesses.  The aim will be to treat all patients within one hour and the clinic will be open to all members of the public, not just Vhi Healthcare members, from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The three existing Vhi SwiftCare Clinics have treated approximately 120,000 patients to date, with an average of 1100 patients each week currently visiting the facilities.  The top five conditions currently presenting at the clinics are soft tissue injuries, fractures, sprains & strains, respiratory problems and minor cuts.  Approximately 40% of patients visiting the clinics have required x-rays, and the remainder have received consultations in relation to non skeletal presentations including minor burns, cuts requiring a stitch, sporting injuries and other non-urgent conditions. 

Dr Ray Power, Medical Director, Vhi SwiftCare Clinics stated, “Our experience with the existing Vhi SwiftCare Clinics has shown that patients clearly understand the concept and the types of conditions that we treat. They welcome an alternative to visiting an A&E Department when they have a minor injury.  We are pleased to bring this choice to patients in Waterford city and county as well as the surrounding areas.”
 
Annette Gee, General Manager, Whitfield Clinic commented, “Whitfield Clinic is delighted that the Vhi SwiftCare Clinic, which is Waterford’s first, walk-in, urgent care centre is now open for business.   Whitfield Clinic is proud to add to its existing services to provide this choice to patients with minor injuries.   We currently already provide a full community radiology service which we will expand to cover Vhi SwiftCare Clinic patients’ requirements.” 

The Waterford Vhi SwiftCare Clinic provides on site diagnostic x-ray services as well as access to blood pathology diagnostic services and Ultrasound facilities.  There are also a broad range of treatment services including suturing and plaster application as well as some follow up services such as consultant-led fracture clinics and physiotherapy. 

The aim is to provide an urgent care service and to ensure the patient is referred back to their regular GP as soon as appropriate.  The clinic will also provide a community diagnostic service for local GP’s whereby patients, following referral by their GP, can simply walk-in during Clinic hours, directly obtain their diagnostic test and be advised to attend their GP who will be forwarded the results.

The Vhi SwiftCare Clinics are run as a joint initiative between Vhi Healthcare, Ireland’s largest private health insurer and Centric Health, a primary care medical company founded by Dr. Ray Power and Dr. Maurice Cox.  Vhi SwiftCare Clinic in Waterford City will be operated in partnership with the Whitfield Clinic. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• As with the existing Vhi SwiftCare Clinics, conditions that the Waterford facility will treat include: sprains, bumps and bruises, potential breaks, minor burns or cuts that may need a stitch. 

• The Vhi SwiftCare Clinics do not cover serious medical emergencies such as a patient experiencing difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, acute stomach pain, loss of consciousness or severe burns.   Also the Clinics do not treat children under 12 months of age and pregnancy related conditions. 

• Vhi SwiftCare Clinics can be visited by all members of the public, not just Vhi Healthcare members, and are open 365 days a year from 9am to 9pm.

• Patients are not required to make an advance appointment at the Vhi SwiftCare Clinics and ordinarily present themselves or are referred by their GP. 

• Patients visiting a Vhi SwiftCare Clinic are charged an initial consultation payment of €105 (or €55 if a patient is referred by their GP).  However cases requiring further treatment or tests will have additional costs such as the following:
• X-ray – €75 - €95
• Blood tests - €30 - €50
• Stitches - €50 - €75
• Plastering - €55

• Further information about the Vhi SwiftCare Clinics can be accessed at www.vhi.ie/swiftcare.