The new SelectMD Urgent Care clinic, located at the corner of Thorold and South Pelham roads, can provide patients with treatment for everything from coughs and colds to sprains and strains.

Not only that, but the clinic, planned and operated by three Welland hospital emergency department doctors, is laid out with inviting designs and warm colours. The spacious waiting room has a flat-screen television and music is played throughout the clinic on a state-of-the-art stereo system.

The new SelectMD Urgent Care clinic opened recently to great community feedback. The clinic’s planning and operations are driven by these three Welland emergency department doctors. From left: Dr. David Bak, Dr. Kevin Grant and Dr. Colin Zides.

“It’s a very modern clinic, very visually pleasing,” said Dr. Colin Zides, one of SelectMD’s docs. “We want people to know that we’re here and we’re open.”

The clinic boasts nine examination rooms in more than 2,400 feet of floor space. But with the operation up and running, the physicians say the best is yet to come.

A second phase is being planned for SelectMD that will consist of a family health and wellness centre next to the urgent care clinic.

The family practice will work in tandem with the clinic, with docs able to treat sick patients on one side and do check-ups and follow-ups on the other.

The practice will also serve as a grounds to help recruit and retain new family doctors, especially younger ones, said Zides.

“It’s all in one place, which I think is a very unique system,” he said. “There are very few clinics which combine both together.”

Between Zides, Grant and Bak, the three docs have almost 50 years of primary and urgent care experience. Working together at Welland hospital’s ER, the trio also worked together to develop SelectMD.

“I think urgent care and medicine is a natural evolution from emergency care,” said Zides.

“To put a project together of this size and complexity sure took a lot of thought and preparation time,” added Bak.

Officially opened on July 21, patients have already been walking through the clinic’s doors.

“The response from the public has been fabulous,” said Zides.

The urgent care clinic is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday and selected holidays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 905-788-1500 or visit www.SelectMD.ca.

Original Article By Michael Speck from NiagaraThisWeek (Aug 08, 2008)

The SelectMD Urgent Care centre – which opened last week in a plaza at Thorold and South Pelham roads -is run by three emergency department doctors from Welland hospital.

Drs. Colin Zides, David Bak and Kevin Grant set up the seven-day clinic. Its hours are Monday to Friday 9 a. m. to 8 p. m. and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 9 a. m. to 3 p.m.

They will gradually expand it to include a family health practice.

It is designed to serve Welland, Pelham and Port Colborne.

“Of course, we will take anyone who comes in,” said Zides, noting people may live in Niagara Falls or St. Catharines but happen to be working in Welland.

Doctors at the clinic will handle coughs and colds, minor illnesses, sprains and strains, minor injuries and lacerations, flu and allergy shots, immunizations, travel medicines and physicals.

“You wouldn’t want people coming here who should be going to the hospital emergency ward,” said Bak.

The 225-square-metre clinic has nine examining rooms allowing for three doctors to work at one time.

Zides, who will work at the clinic full-time, called it a model of health care that joins urgent care service and family health practice.

The clinic is designed to be “a turnkey operation,” said Zides.

He said it’s intended attract young doctors “who are interested in getting to work” rather than worrying about the business issues of setting up and running a practice.

“I know when I was in medical school I was never taught how to set up a practice and hire staff,” Grant said.

Bak and Grant will continue to work in the hospital emergency wards in Welland and other local hospitals, while also filling in at the clinic.

“Among us we have about 50 years of emergency care experience,” said Zides.

Zides was involved in planning the present emergency department at Welland hospital. He and his two partners have spent the past year planning and overseeing construction of the SelectMD Urgent Care walk-in clinic in the plaza.

Computerization of patient data, rather than using extensive paper files, is a key part of the organization.

A doctor can call up a patient’s file, which includes background information and family history, in any of the examining rooms through networking system of computer terminals.

This allows any doctor working with a patient to have easy access to a patient’s information.

Using a demonstration file on patient “Mickey Mouse,” Zides typed in a prescription for a cold remedy, which is automatically added to the file, and can be printed out to take to a pharmacist.

“We bought two filing cabinets, but will have to take one back because we don’t think we will need it,” said Zides.

“Oh yes, we do have backup.”

A feature to the health-care model is the use of registered nurses, particularly those with specialized backgrounds in treatment of conditions such as diabetes and rheumatism.

“Most clinics don’t have registered nurses,” said Zides.

The layout of the clinic includes examination rooms, a doctors’ room and handicap access washroom, but also a nurses’ room near the reception area. Nurses could give injections, talk with patients and handle specific tasks.

The clinic has a website – www.SelectMD.ca-to keep in touch with the public and patients, provide information about the clinic and give health tips.

Zides, Bak and Grant all live in Pelham and have each worked in local emergency wards for more than a dozen years.

“We’re not going anywhere, we’re here to stay,” said Grant.

Article By Wayne Campbell from the Welland Tribune (Article ID# 1134506)