NEW CASTLE, PA. Walk-in medical center to open soon

The health group has facilities in six western Pennsylvania counties.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Primary Health Network of Sharon will open a walk-in medical center at Jameson South in the former emergency department of St. Francis Hospital, 1000 S. Mercer St.
The facility will focus on caring for patients with minor injuries or illnesses and won't provide emergency care, said Jack Laeng, executive director.
It will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
"This program is being offered in cooperation with Jameson Health System to benefit the community in south New Castle so that patients with nonemergent medical needs can receive care nearby rather than traveling to the ER," Laeng said.
Many people still rely on the Jameson South facility for their medical care, said Doug Danko, vice president of professional services for Jameson Health System.
Primary Health already has 17 other facilities in Mercer, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Crawford and Lawrence counties. The company was established in 1984 and caters to low-income people, offering a sliding-fee scale based on a family's income.
It operates a primary care medical-dental center on South Mill Street in New Castle. That facility is being expanded and is open Monday through Friday.
The walk-in center will be staffed primarily by certified registered nurse practitioners with support from doctors now assigned to the primary-care facility on Mill Street.
Physicians who refer patients to the center will receive a report on the next business day on what treatment was provided.
The center will be open to those already linked to Primary Health Network, those who don't have a primary-care physician and those who have Medicare or no insurance.
MedPlus or UPMC Health Plan patients can also use it if they have a referral from their primary-care physician.