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UT Physicians Opens New Priority Care Clinic To Improve Access to Care
To improve access to care, UT Physicians, the faculty group practice of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, opened its new Priority Care clinic Sept. 4.
Priority Care sees adult walk-in patients and accepts same-day appointments, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays. Located in Suite 600 of the UT Professional Building at 6410 Fannin Street, Priority Care functions within the framework of the UT Physicians Internal Medicine clinic.
“Convenience and access to top-quality medical care are of primary concern to our current patients and are critical in order to attract new patients,” said Andrew Casas, UT Physicians chief operating officer. “Priority Care represents one of many strategic steps that UT Physicians is undertaking to improve patient access to medical care.”
Priority Care is a collaboration between UT Physicians and the UT School of Nursing at Houston and is staffed by nurse practitioner Amy Costner of the UT School of Nursing.
The clinic provides care to patients who need same-day medical care but are unable to get a same-day appointment with their regular physician. It also offers care to patients who do not have a primary physician. Priority Care eliminates another barrier to accessing medical care by accepting nearly all health insurance plans.
Costner, using her advanced medical training and working closely with medical school faculty physicians in the UT Physicians Internal Medicine clinic, diagnoses and treats routine medical concerns, such as upper respiratory infections, rashes, abdominal pain, chest pain and back pain.
Costner also treats minor injuries and assists with prescription refills. As a nurse practitioner, she may prescribe medication. After a visit, Costner follows up with the patient’s physician and may recommend further care with a UT Physicians specialist.
UT Physicians specialist. “Priority Care reaches out to UT Physicians’ patients and UT Health Science Center and Texas Medical Center employees who need same-day access to medical care when their regular physician may not be available, or whose available work-in appointments are inconvenient,” said Diana Browning, UT Physicians vice president of clinical operations. “Priority Care limits the time patients may need to take away from work and eliminates the need to wait for an appointment.”
Priority Care is a preferred provider with most managed care insurance plans. Patients may call for an appointment, 832-325-7164, or drop-in for a walk-in appointment, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays