When clinic doors across the city lock up for the night, our urgent care team at UT Physicians in the Clear Lake area turns their lights on.
“It’s fast-paced at times,” said Laura Vasquez, a medical assistant at the urgent care. “We have a good bunch of people here. The team all works well together.”
The facility in southeast Houston, near Beltway 8 and Genoa Red Bluff Rd., opened in August 2022.
“We hear a lot from our patients that this is so helpful,” said Vasquez. “A lot of times they had to travel a lot further to find care after-hours, and we’re right down the street.”
It’s that after-hours care that medical assistant Erron Callis is proud to provide. “I feel like our hours are great for patients who can’t get in with their provider during the day,” Callis explained.
Filling the gap
Staying up late and working on weekends is worth it, he says, because he knows he is doing important work. Callis recalled a shift when a patient arrived with a medical emergency. His team was able to keep the person stable and call the hospital to establish a smooth and fast transition in care.
“So, when the patient got there, the medical staff already knew what was going on,” said Callis. “The patient didn’t have to explain what’s going on again and why they were there.”
The urgent care team sees patients of all ages, and right now, Vasquez says they are receiving a lot of congested babies.
“Being open after-hours and on the weekends, it gives parents more time to come in, especially with kids,” said Vasquez. “You never know when they’re going to get sick.”
Testing, treatments, and X-rays
The skilled teams of medical professionals can test for strep, flu, and COVID-19. And beyond the traditional urgent care treatments, the UT Physicians facility also has an X-ray machine.
“Not a lot of other urgent cares have an X-ray machine, so I think we stand out,” explained Vasquez. “To be honest, we can treat for almost anything. We even have nebulizer treatments.”
“Our urgent care staff is dedicated to each person that walks through the door,” said Osaze Ohonba, MMSc, PA-C, assistant director of the advanced practice clinicians for urgent care. “They are essential and valued members of the community.”
UT Physicians Urgent Care is in Clear Lake, located at 11476 Space Center Blvd., suite 101, Houston, TX 77059. They accept walk-in patients and have a user-friendly feature to schedule appointments called, “Get Seen Now.”
