News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2019

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Charleston, S.C. – Doctors Care, P.A. (Doctors Care) and MUSC Health have agreed to an affiliation to provide patients with increased access to primary care, urgent care, specialty care and emergency care throughout the Lowcountry and Grand Strand regions of South Carolina.

The affiliation between the two long-established health organizations builds further on an existing relationship and represents a sustained commitment to offer the best access, value and comprehensive care for coastal South Carolina residents.

The primary goal of the new affiliation is to help patients to make the best decisions when choosing the most appropriate setting from which to seek medical care. An urgent care center provides same-day, affordable treatment for patients who require care for illnesses like colds and flu or minor injuries that are not life-threatening. The vast network of Doctors Care centers, all of which offer walk-in service, will help MUSC Health decrease unnecessary visits to its emergency rooms and provide patients with an easier transition to specialty services as needed. Both organizations have launched educational efforts to assist staff and patients when making decisions about where to seek treatment.

“This collaborative effort strengthens the relationship we’ve already built with MUSC as a health care partner in the Charleston region and our commitment to serving patients in those communities.” said Curtis Franke, M.D., president and chief medical officer of Doctors Care. “We look forward to growing the footprint of our affiliation to include the entire coastal region of the state and working hand in hand with MUSC to increase access to all levels of treatment for residents in these regions.”

The new affiliation is effective immediately and includes 10 Doctors Care urgent care locations in the Tri-county Charleston region and 9 Doctors Care urgent care locations on the coast from Georgetown to Little River.

“Access to health care resources is a top patient concern,” said MUSC Health Primary Care Integrated Center of Clinical Excellence chief Terrence E. Steyer, M.D. “We are pleased to work collaboratively with our colleagues at Doctors Care to provide education and information to help patients make the best care decisions possible. Our goal is to improve the health of South Carolinians by working together.”

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About Doctors Care, P.A.

Doctors Care urgent care is a leading health care organization focused on delivering exceptional and convenient urgent care, family care and occupational health services. Its original center, opened in Columbia in 1981, was the first urgent care center in South Carolina. Now, Doctors Care is one of the largest urgent care companies in the United States, with more than 1,000 employees. Its network of 54 urgent care locations continues to expand to serve patients with quality medical care that is both convenient and affordable. All Doctors Care centers offer online check-in, real-time patient volumes, onsite dispensing, flexible hours, onsite X-ray and laboratory, telehealth services and more. Visit DoctorsCare.com to learn more.

About MUSC Health

As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care available, while training generations of competent, compassionate health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Comprising some 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, the physicians’ practice plan and nearly 275 telehealth locations, MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals situated in Charleston, Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Marion counties. In 2019, for the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit http://muschealth.org.

Founded in 1824, MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $3 billion. The more than 17,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

Murrells Inlet, S.C. – Doctors Care P.A., South Carolina’s largest urgent care company, held a ribbon cutting today to celebrate the opening of its newest urgent and family care center in Murrells Inlet. The state-of-the-art medical facility is located next to Bojangles’ on Highway 707. Doctors Care selected Murrells Inlet for its newest location because of the increased need for convenient access to health care services, seven days a week. This is the ninth Doctors Care location in the Grand Strand Region.

According to Dr. Curtis Franke, president and chief medical officer of Doctors Care, the new location will enhance efforts to address the health care demands of the booming South Strand area.

“For 38 years, our medical professionals have been dedicated to providing convenient, quality care to families and employers across South Carolina, and this newest Murrells Inlet location is an example of our long-term commitment to these values and the communities we’ve always served,” Franke said.

As part of the ribbon cutting ceremony, a two thousand dollar check was presented to St. James High School, which is located less than three miles from the new Doctors Care location. St. James’s athletic trainer, Bill Krauss, plus the high school mascot, Sharkie, was on hand to accept the check, and said part of the funds will be used for the school’s athletic equipment, plus funds will be allocated to the school nurse for medical supplies.

Doctors Care Murrells Inlet has more than 4,300 square feet of space including eight exam rooms, trauma space, on-site laboratory and X-ray rooms, and spacious accommodations.

Services available at Doctors Care include:

• Urgent care and minor surgical procedures (for sprains, fractures, lacerations, accident evaluation, burns, etc.)
• Family care (such as physicals, X-rays, blood work and allergy treatment, colds, strep and flu care)
• Outdoor exposure treatment (such as sunburn and insect bite treatment and IV fluids for dehydration)
• Vaccinations (including tetanus, flu, pneumonia and hepatitis)
• Occupational health and workers’ compensation
• Online check-in so you can wait where you want

The Progressive Physical Therapy location is its 24^th in South Carolina, offering specialized treatment with certified physical therapists to help with injury recovery, rehabilitation and pain relief.

Doctors Care hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Progressive Physical Therapy’s hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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About Doctors Care, P.A.
Doctors Care urgent care, accredited by the Urgent Care Association, is a leading health care organization focused on delivering exceptional and convenient urgent care, family care and occupational health services. Its original center, opened in Columbia in 1981, was the first urgent care center in South Carolina. Now, Doctors Care is one of the largest urgent care companies in the United States. Its network of 55 locations continues to expand to serve patients with quality health care that is both convenient and affordable. All Doctors Care centers offer online check-in, flexible hours, on-site X-ray, laboratory and on-site prescriptions, occupational health, telehealth services and more. Visit DoctorsCare.com to learn more.

About Progressive Physical Therapy

Progressive Physical Therapy, founded in 1986, serves patients at 25 offices throughout South Carolina. Centers are staffed with certified, highly skilled therapists with experience and specialized training. The high standards of Progressive Physical Therapy make it one of the most respected practices in the state for advanced therapeutic care. Visit PPTaccess.com for more information.

Murrells Inlet, S.C. –Doctors Care urgent care and Progressive Physical Therapy have opened their newest locations in Murrells Inlet to serve the South Strand community and beyond.

• Doctors Care Murrells Inlet is at 12015 Highway 707 (also known as Burgess Road).
• Progressive Physical Therapy, a Doctors Care sister company, is at the same location.

The new, state-of-the-art facilities are located on the corner of Highway 707 and Tournament Blvd., and the Wynbrooke subdivision, adjacent to Bojangles’. It’s an ideal location to serve this growing area with convenient access to urgent and family care, as well as advanced physical therapy services.

Doctors Care is South Carolina’s largest urgent care company and one of the largest in the United States. The Murrells Inlet location will be the ninth in the Grand Strand region and the 55^th in the state.

Dr. Curtis Franke, president and chief medical officer of Doctors Care P.A., said the company’s expansion reflects its dedication to providing quality, convenient care to S.C. families and employers.

“This newest Murrells Inlet location is an example of our long-term commitment to these values and the communities we’ve always served,” Franke said.

Doctors Care Murrells Inlet has more than 4,300 square feet of space including eight exam rooms, trauma space, on-site laboratory and X-ray rooms, and spacious accommodations.

Services available at Doctors Care include:

• Urgent care and minor surgical procedures (for sprains, fractures, lacerations, accident evaluation, burns, etc.)
• Family care (such as physicals, X-rays, blood work and allergy treatment, colds, strep and flu care)
• Outdoor exposure treatment (such as sunburn and insect bite treatment and IV fluids for dehydration)
• Vaccinations (including tetanus, flu, pneumonia and hepatitis)
• Occupational health and workers’ compensation
• Online check-in so you can wait where you want

The Progressive Physical Therapy location is its 24^th in South Carolina, offering specialized treatment with certified physical therapists to help with injury recovery, rehabilitation and pain relief.

Doctors Care hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Progressive Physical Therapy’s hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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About Doctors Care, P.A.
Doctors Care urgent care, accredited by the Urgent Care Association, is a leading health care organization focused on delivering exceptional and convenient urgent care, family care and occupational health services. Its original center, opened in Columbia in 1981, was the first urgent care center in South Carolina. Now, Doctors Care is one of the largest urgent care companies in the United States. Its network of 55 locations continues to expand to serve patients with quality health care that is both convenient and affordable. All Doctors Care centers offer online check-in, flexible hours, on-site X-ray, laboratory and on-site prescriptions, occupational health, telehealth services and more. Visit DoctorsCare.com to learn more.

About Progressive Physical Therapy

Progressive Physical Therapy, founded in 1986, serves patients at 25 offices throughout South Carolina. Centers are staffed with certified, highly skilled therapists with experience and specialized training. The high standards of Progressive Physical Therapy make it one of the most respected practices in the state for advanced therapeutic care. Visit PPTaccess.com for more information.

Columbia, S.C. – Doctors Care P.A., South Carolina’s largest urgent care company, held a ribbon-cutting today to celebrate the opening of its newest center in Columbia – the company’s 54th location in South Carolina.

Doctors Care Shandon, on the corner of Harden Street and Rosewood Drive, is conveniently located near many of Columbia downtown neighborhoods, several grade schools and the University of South Carolina. This is the 13th Doctors Care location in the central Midlands, and the fifth new location that Doctors Care has opened in less than a year.

Dr. Curtis Franke, acting president and chief medical officer of Doctors Care, said the new location was built to replace an outdated facility about a mile away, and strategically located to bring modern, affordable health care to the heart of Columbia’s downtown residential and university districts.

“This one is special for us – it’s in our own backyard,” Franke said. “We started in Columbia nearly four decades ago, and our headquarters are located just up Harden Street from here. We have treated generations of families in this area, and it gives us great pride to build this beautiful new facility to continue to serve even more generations and new families. We can see your family today, and we provide a great value and convenience in the health care space.”

As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a check was presented to support the installation of public art and beautification projects along the retail corridor between the Shandon and Rosewood neighborhoods. One Columbia for Arts and History Executive Director Lee Snelgrove, and the Rosewood Merchants Association Executive Director Dave Britt, were on hand to accept the check.

“One Columbia is pleased to be a partner on yet another major public art project that brings a community-minded business in collaboration with a merchant’s association and neighborhood residents,” Snelgrove said.
According to Britt, the construction of Doctors Care Shandon also has inspired renewed interested in investment and property enhancements.

“The Rosewood Merchants Association is excited to welcome Doctors Care to the neighborhood, and appreciates the gracious donation toward art and beautification,” Britt said. “They are creating a great partnership between their business and the community with a gesture that is truly outstanding, exciting and unique. These future projects will be an awesome addition to one of Columbia’s most unique and beloved areas.”

Doctors Care Shandon is more than 4,300 square feet, with eight exam rooms plus trauma space, on-site laboratory and X-ray rooms, and spacious accommodations with modern finishes.

Services available at this Doctors Care include:

• Online check-in, plus virtual visits at DoctorsCare.com/Anywhere
• Urgent care, minor procedures (including sprains, fractures, lacerations and burns)
• Family care (children’s physicals, X-rays, blood work and colds/strep/flu care, etc.)
• Vaccinations (including tetanus, flu, pneumonia, hepatitis B)
• College student discounts

The new facility’s address is 2601 Rosewood Drive. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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About Doctors Care, P.A.
Doctors Care, now celebrating its 36th year in business, is a leading health care organization focused on delivering exceptional and convenient urgent care, family care and occupational health services. Its original clinic, opened in Columbia in 1981, was the first urgent care center in South Carolina. Now, Doctors Care is one of the largest urgent care companies in the United States. Its network of 52 clinic locations continues to expand to serve patients who want quality health care that’s also convenient and reasonably priced. Doctors Care centers offer online check-in, flexible hours, on-site X-rays and laboratory services, telehealth access and more. Visit DoctorsCare.com to learn more.