The new center is easily accessible on foot for a wide mix of Downtown residents and commuters, and there is also a free parking lot onsite for patients.

By Maureen Gilmer, IU Health senior journalist, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org

Busy Downtown Indianapolis workers, students and residents now have a convenient place to go when they need treatment for a minor illness or injury.

IU Health opened its latest Urgent Care Center in a former coffee shop at 222 W. Michigan St., across from the Downtown Kroger.

The center is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, offering prompt care for non-emergent illnesses and injuries, as well as sports physicals, lab work and X-ray services with a physician’s order.

Melissa Cash, regional administrator for IU Health Urgent Care, said the Downtown location has six exam rooms and an X-ray suite, and it will be staffed by an advanced practice provider and at least three clinicians.

While the center is easily accessible on foot for a wide mix of Downtown residents and commuters, there is also a free parking lot onsite for patients.

As is the case with most of its Urgent Care Centers, IU Health is renting the space for the Downtown center. It underwent months of rehab inside and out before opening Jan. 5.

Patient volume is yet to be seen, but Cash expects it to be a popular location because of its proximity to IU Health’s Downtown campus, IUPUI and commuter traffic, both vehicles and pedestrians.

On average, the IU Health clinics in Central Indiana see anywhere from 60 to 120 patients a day depending on the season, Cash said.

“Flu season is here, so we’re expecting a pretty strong opening.”

While micro-hospitals are popping up around the city, IU Health is committed to the Urgent Care model, a low-cost alternative to other higher-cost settings of care, Cash said.

“We really focus on getting patients in and out quickly for minor urgent care illness and injuries,” she said. “If they need a higher level of care, we can facilitate that. Anyone who needs to be seen in the ER, we can triage and send them over to the hospital.”

The Downtown location will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Photo by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org