UPMC welcomes new patients with walk-in injury clinic in Cranberry
CRANBERRY TWP — Athletes and non-athletes of all ages will now have a wider window of time to gain pertinent information and treatment regarding recent injuries courtesy of a new program at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
A group of physicians headlined by MaCalus Hogan and Melissa McLane collaboratively worked to open the After Hours Walk-In Orthopaedic Injury Clinic that will provide specialized care to patients outside of regular office hours.
“Sometimes with the nontraditional hours, after-school, after-work, being available in that time is ideal for patients in the community,” said Hogan, chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at UPMC. “A lot of orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injuries are not planned, so being available in those unplanned environments and times is ideal, and we thought it would be good for our patients.”
The clinic, which is in its third week of operation, is open Monday through Friday from 5-9 p.m. for patients 10 and up. No appointment is required.
Patients can receive initial diagnoses on sports-related injuries, bone, joint, tendon and muscle injuries, acute back and neck pain and broken bones.
According to Hogan, the urgent care environment is rapidly growing across the country. Some of the thought in opening the clinic was to speed up the process when it comes to evaluating unforeseen injuries.
“Nobody expects to get injured, and injuries don’t always happen during regular business hours,” said McLane, the medical director for the Orthopaedic Walk-In Clinic. “We want this clinic to provide the best specialty care when people need it and where they need it.”
Beyond the initial diagnosis, there are other benefits for patients on what sometimes can be a difficult road to recovery. The UPMC physicians have the ability to help plan out the rehabilitation process in the coming days, weeks and months.
“The other benefit of the walk-in clinic is they will receive expedited and streamlined follow-up for their injury as well,” Hogan said. “They will essentially see our specialists here, the diagnose or treatment will commence and then from there, they will already have scheduled follow-ups. That in and of itself is a better experience, we believe, for our patients and community and will lead to better outcomes.”
Dr. Jeanne Doperak spends a significant amount of her days working with the highest levels of athletes as an assistant team physician with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the head primary care team physician for the University of Pittsburgh.
She also consults with local high schools and believes the clinic has already shown signs of being advantageous for high school athletes, who might be in need of rapid care.
“We’re getting a fair number of high school athletes who are getting injured in their games or practices and they’re being referred, a lot of times, by their athletic trainers,” said Doperak. “What’s great is, we’re able to get them imaging, a preliminary diagnosis and a plan in place way more quickly than what we’ve historically done.”
After finishing up what can be long days at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex or at the University of Pittsburgh, she is one of several physicians who have made sharing their expertise at the walk-in clinic a second job.
“Our goal is to provide excellent care in a timely manner,” Doperak said. “Athletes, young and old, their goal is to always get back to their sport or activity. The sooner we can start that healing process, the better.”
