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Urgent cares boost staff

Children’s Hospital to close Fairfield facility on weekends, moving workers to busier sites.

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By Tiffany Y. Latta, Staff Writer 9:24 PM Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cold and flu season has long been a busy time at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center urgent care sites.

But thanks to outbreaks of the H1N1 virus, staff at urgent care facilities in Mason and Anderson Twp. have been swamped since August.

The uptick in patient volume has forced officials to announce plans to close its Fairfield facility on weekends so staff there can be available to assist at the busier locations.

“Mason is just so full we needed to figure out a way to increase coverage,’’ said Tom McCormally, a Children’s Hospital spokesman.

“The numbers have been crazy during the last three months, but it’s been a steady climb. Last winter ... we had so many people coming in we had to ask them to go to another location.’’

Fairfield Urgent Care, 3050 Mack Road, will be closed on weekends starting Dec. 21.

However, lab and radiology services there will remain open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, officials said in a news release.

No changes will be made to the weekday operating hours at the Fairfield facility, which will remain open from 6 to 11 p.m.

The urgent care centers at Mason, 9560 Children’s Drive in Mason and 7495 State Road in Anderson Twp. will be open 6 to 11 p.m. during the week and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

McCormally said the changes will increase staffing levels at the clinics and allow more children to be treated at the walk-in clinics.

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