CostCare Walk-in Clinic intends to open a third site on Monday at 3031 S. Russell St., and in September will start a family-practice facility for continued care of patients on Great Northern Loop, according to Dr. Carol Bridges.
Brian Rick, who started FirstChoice Medical Walk-in Clinic, said the 2-year-old site at 1555 Liberty Lane will expand with another facility along Southwest Higgins Avenue in August.
The clinics appear to be filling a gap in medical care in western Montana, given the shortage of primary-care doctors who accept patients without insurance.
Sometimes called “retail clinics,” the model is more prevalent on the nation's coasts.
Some chain drugstores, such as CVS/pharmacies, have moved recently to offer these type of quick-service clinics at some locations.
Locally, both clinics follow a pared-down model with low overhead and small staffs, which helps keep their costs down.
Bridges started CostCare with Dr. Greg Hutton and physician assistant Lesley Von Eschen, with locations at Eastgate Plaza in Missoula and in Stevensville.
“We offer accessibility,” she said. “Our goal is to get people in and out in 30 minutes.”
She said initially they'll have the walk-in clinic and family practice clinic at the Russell Street location, across from the YMCA.
The family-practice clinic will move in September to Great Northern Loop. Bridges said the walk-in clinic will remain at the Russell Street site.
“I always thought it would be great to open a primary-care clinic in the same model,” Bridges said. “We couldn't wait. We had people walking in with high blood pressure and we couldn't get them into a primary care clinic.”
By September, CostCare will employ two doctors, three nurse practitioners, and four physician assistants. Currently, the existing clinics gross $30,000 a month, Bridges said.
CostCare refers X-rays and radiology services to St. Patrick Hospital, and has arranged for discounted services of about $75.
FirstChoice has a portable X-ray machine and employs a certified radiology technician.
Neither clinic employs people who bill insurance. Instead, they give invoices with the correct coding for procedures so patients can apply for reimbursement if they do have insurance coverage.
“We were the pioneers in Montana and it's really taken off,” said Rick, who started the clinics with Kelly Etzel, another physician assistant. They expanded into Hamilton in 2007.
“People are very busy these days and time is money. They can't wait two to three hours to be seen. It isn't time-efficient.”
Reporter Pamela J. Podger may be reached at 523-5241 or at pamela.podger@missoulian.com.
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