One of Lafayette's main medical providers trimmed its services, but the move is not expected to reduce access to local care.
St. Elizabeth Central unveiled changes to its urgent care operations on Monday without much fanfare. The site, at 1501 Hartford St. on the north side, officially opened as an express care center, focusing on patients with minor injuries.
It's the seventh walk-in clinic St. Elizabeth operates in Indiana.
The former big red emergency sign has been replaced with a smaller, black-and-white sign: "Franciscan Express Care." It's a modest change, but one that marks a significant change for the nearly 20-year-old former emergency care center that closed its doors earlier this month.
The downsizing is because of financial problems impacting the healthcare industry as well as changing community needs, said Terry Wilson, regional CEO and president of St. Elizabeth Health.
"Get in. Get out. Get better," is the motto the site champions now. With two nurses, two receptionists and one doctor, the center will operate more like a clinic than an ER and is expected to treat 30 to 35 patients daily, operations director Abrah Timmons said.