Question

our University has decided to open a new urgent care clinic on the main campus. As the new COO of this facility, you are in charge of planning and designing this $10M facility. Describe in detail the following, keeping in mind the Patient Experience in all aspects of the planning and design:

• Who is your main clientele? What are the most common diagnosis/treatments this clientele would be seen for in the clinic?
• Describe the design of your facility. Be very detailed and specific. Cover waiting room(s), reception area, triage/treatment room(s), billing/check out, etc.
• Describe the staff and staffing model in your facility.
• Describe an ideal patient encounter from arrival to discharge.

Answer 1

Main Clientele are those with sudden, serious and unexpected illnesses, injuries or conditions which require immediate medical attention. The Wellness Program in partnership with several campus departments, strives to foster a healthy campus environment and to provide tools and resources to enhance and support the health and well-being of faculty, staff, students.

Most common diagnosis and treament the clientele would be seen for in the clinic are:

1. Provision for mental health care for students with Stress, Anxiety, depressions to get started with counselling and psychiatric services, group counselling, psychiatric medications and follow ups.

2. Eye examinations for refractive errors along with availability of frames, lenses, and even refractive surgeries.

3. Dental services: like oral examinations, cleaning, flouride treatments, xrays, fillings, extractions, prosthodontics.

4. Pains, illnesses, minor medical problems like gastritis, migraine, respiratory infections, musculoskeletal issues like spasms, sprains, fractures, tears,

5. Sexual health concerns.

Faculty:

1. Advice nurse: 24/7 of advice nurse to speak with the clients regarding the services one is not sure about

2. Primary care unit: Facility is fully accredited, staffed by licensed and/or board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, a nutritionist, and nurses.

3. Urgent Care triage: nurse/front desk staff available during the first time of visit

4. Pharmacy:  fully licensed pharmacy is committed to providing quality service to the patients. Who accept valid prescriptions from licensed clinicians within the country, if the prescription is for an item that they have a stock of.

5. Laboratory which is licensed by the State and accredited by the Accreditation Association. Certified facility and testing performance is constantly monitored.

6. Radiology: provides routine exams on a walk-in basis and fulfills orders from outside providers.

7. Physical therapy: The Physical Therapist will listen and ask questions about the issue that brings the client in for treatment. They will then do an evaluation which may include evaluating range of motion, strength and functional activities. It may also involve palpating (feeling) the joint or soft tissue mobility.

8. Speciality clinics:

Specialty Clinics

• Dermatology*
• ENT – Ear, Nose & Throat (Otolaryngology)
• Gastroenterology
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics – general, hand, & foot & ankle specialties
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Podiatry
• Repetitive Stress Clinic
• Surgery (breast surgeon)
• Student health, Sports Medicine

9. Social services area: Counselling services to help students strengthen coping skills, problem solving

10. Immunization room:

• Flu shots
• Gardasil (Human papilloma Virus “HPV”)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Japanese Encephalitis (Ixiaro)
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella combined, not available separately)
• Meningococcal vaccines:
  • MenACWY-CRM (Menveo)
  • MenB (Bexsero)
• Pneumococcal vaccines:
  • Pneumovax (PPSV23)
  • PCV 13 (Prevnar)
• Polio
• Rabies vaccine
• Td (tetanus and diphtheria toxoid)
• Tdap (tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis)
• Twinrix (Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccine combined)
• Typhoid (Typhim Vi)
• Varicella (Varivax) chicken pox
• Yellow fever

11. Health record room: all the medical files are available in the record room

12. Rest rooms in every floor

13. waiting rooms in every floor and near every speciality clinics and near opration theatres

14. Front desk right at the entry area.

15. In patient area.

16. Billing counters

17. Fully furnished Kitchen and licenced dieticians.

18. Physiotherapy unit.

staffing includes:

Doctors (medical staff): the consultant (specialist), the registrar and the resident. Together they assess and manage the medical care.

• senior consultants – specialist doctors who see patients at specific times
• registrars – senior doctors who supervise residents, interns and students
• residents – look after patients on the ward and are in training for specialisation
• interns – have completed their studies and are now finishing their final year in hospital
• student doctors – undergraduate medical students.

Nurses:

• nurse unit manager – runs the ward
• associate nurse unit manager – helps the nurse unit manager to run the ward and acts as the manager when the nurse unit manager is off site
• nurse practitioners – highly skilled nurses with an advanced level of training
• specialist nurses, such as clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurse consultants, clinical nurse educators, triage nurses, emergency department nurses
• registered nurses – provide a high level of day-to-day care and perform some minor procedures
• enrolled nurses – provide basic medical care under the supervision of more senior nurses.

Allied health professionals:

• dietitians
• occupational therapists
• pharmacists
• physiotherapists
• podiatrists
• speech pathologists.

Other hospital staff:

• clinical assistants – take care of ward housekeeping
• patient services assistants – bring meals and drinks
• porters – take care of patient lifting and transport
• volunteers – help with fundraising and ward visits
• ward clerks – staff the ward reception desks.

ideal patient encounter from arrival to discharge:

1) Assessment of your condition

• Upon the arrival in Urgent Care, please check in at the front desk. After registration a nurse will speak with the client and assess the medical condition -- ask about symptoms, take vital signs and consult with a physician if necessary. The nurse and medical team will recommend the best way to get the care that is needed.
• If an urgent medical visit is advised, the will be directed to see a provider in the Urgent Care or Primary Care clinics.
• If the condition does not require immediate care, the nurse will assist in scheduling a medical appointment within an appropriate time period in one of the medical clinics.

2) Seeing a provider in Urgent Care

• If the nurse recommends an Urgent Care medical visit, the name will be called when a room becomes available.
• The clinician will work with the to determine the best plan of treatment and follow-up care for the condition.
• If there is an urgent condition that cannot be fully evaluated or treated in Urgent Care, we will arrange transfer to a hospital, emergency room or local specialist for further care.

3) Wait times for Urgent Care

• When the clinic is busy, wait times may be several hours.
• The urgent care is a drop-in clinic intended for urgent medical problems. For the safety of all patients, those with the most serious conditions will be treated before those with less serious conditions.
• The cooperation and patience while waiting are appreciated.

4) Closing time for Urgent Care:

• Closing time is often very busy at Urgent Care, as a result, wait times may be longer

• All patients presenting to Urgent Care will be assessed by an RN

• Those patients not requiring immediate medical care will be assisted by staff to access care within the appropriate time period (medical appointment for example).

• If the clinic cannot provide full and complete medical care due to the clinic's closure, they will create a plan with the cient to get the care needed.