ELMA — Beginning today, Summit Pacific Medical Center’s Urgent Care will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Current hours of operation are noon to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

“We are committed to increasing Summit Pacific’s ability to offer our community quick access to the right level of healthcare when and where they need it. This is just the start of many exciting things to come in the near future,” Dr. Ken Dietrich, chief medical officer, stated, “In addition to expanding Urgent Care hours we are quickly growing our primary care team. We just recently added Dr. Justin Taylor, naturopathic physician, and already have another four providers scheduled to start over the next couple of months.”

SPMC’s Urgent Care provides walk-in appointments for patients suffering pains and discomfort associated with colds, flu, sinus infections, earaches and stomach ailments, minor sprains, wounds, burns and rashes and more.

Urgent Care is not meant to take the place of an emergency department for those suffering a life- or limb-threatening situation, or that of routine visits with a primary-care provider. If more emergent care is needed, staff will be able to escort patients immediately down the hall to Summit Pacific’s 24/7 emergency department. Patients coming to SPMC’s Urgent Care, should check-in at the main patient entrance found off Main Street in Elma and avoid using the emergency department entrance.

For more information, community members are encouraged to call 360-346-2222 or visit www.sp-mc.org.