In a show of unity with the Castle Country Business Expansion and Retention program, Castleview Hospital CEO Mark Holyoak talked about how the BEAR program had worked to help his organization develop Castleview’s new urgent care facility a few years ago.
“BEAR approached us with the community need for an urgent care facility in the area. We looked around at several buildings and were considering how we would remodel them to fit our needs. It came down to the fact that we needed to beautify the area as well as provide services.”
Nick Tatton, Price City Community Director, was one of the key players in working with the hospital on getting the program started and securing a site for the building. He said the area needed such a facility because the cost of using the emergency room for minor illnesses or injuries was hurting the community. In addition he said they found a partner for the service at USU Eastern, which had a student health program that could benefit.
Holyoak said in the planning process they wanted to develop a walk-in facility where people could come in and get care during off hours and on weekends, as well as during regular business hours. He then turned to Greg Cook, the CFO of Castleview Hospital, who pointed out some of the reasons behind the center.
“The Urgent Care facility is a great cost effective alternative to the emergency rooms,” he stated. “There are many things that are better treated at the Urgent Care rather than at the emergency room.”
A program called Workpoint is also housed in the building, Workpoint is the occupational service line of Castleview Hospital, and Jamie Fox who heads up that part of the hospital’s services talked about what that offering provides.
“We service employers to keep their employees healthy,” said Fox. “We provide specialized screenings including pre-employment screenings, DOT screenings, mine rescue, return to work and others.”
The center in the Urgent Care building is all inclusive with all the necessary tests and X-rays done at that location. They also do drug screening for pre-employment or regular random screenings for employers. Their personnel are certified in all the tests that are provided.
“We can also facilitate and take care of an injured employee quickly,” she stated. “In addition we also provide wellness programs for companies.”
Workpoint was implemented a few years ago to reduce costs for businesses and to help with occupational medicine in the area.
Another component of the facility was the placing of a pharmacy in the building, one which has a drive up window.
The pharmacy is called Pinnacle Peak Pharmacy. Scott Cowdell is the Managing Pharmacist for both Pinnacle and the one at the hospital.
“There are presently eight and soon to be nine pharmacies in the two-county area,” said Cowdell. “And we are one of those.”
He then told the story behind the new pharmacy and its development. He said it started with a brainstorming session in 2014 and then they began to dig dirt for the building in 2015. In October 2017 there was the ribbon cutting ceremony and they began serving clients.
“When people come to get a prescription at Pinnacle, it should almost be a by-product of the relationship with the staff that works there,” he said as he went through the list of employees, their backgrounds, training and emphasis on community service.
While it is like many other pharmacies, it differs in that they also have a compounding unit there and can make custom pharmaceuticals. Counseling on the use of prescriptions is offered as well.
“We also offer home delivery,” said Cowdell. “In addition we provide what is called hospital bed delivery. This allows patients to leave the facility with the prescriptions they need in hand. This is done both for in-patient and out-patient treatment.”
Cowdell also discussed the Freedom of Choice program, a discount drug program for people that don’t have insurance which helps them to get pharmaceuticals at a lower price.
Cowdell said he would like to see the pharmacy become a kind of gathering spot because it has a nice lounge for people waiting along with retail section that includes items such as penny candy, a soda fountain and specialty gifts.
One of the things he was most proud of is the work the pharmacy personnel are doing with a pharmacy training program for pharmacy assistants at the facility.
Castleview execs recount Urgent Care’s success
Greg Cook, hospital CFO