The future medical clinic at 2910 Santiam Hwy. S.E. was still closed on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.
Since at least October, the sign at 2910 Santiam Highway S.E. in Albany has promised that a new walk-in medical clinic was “coming soon.” The question is how soon.
On Tuesday afternoon, the inside of the building looked ready but unoccupied. The door was locked and no one was around. An email question to the website of BestMed, the company planning the urgent care clinic, did not receive a response.
There’s a BestMed clinic in Lebanon. An employee there told me on the phone they expect the Albany branch to open early in 2025.
Last September, a limited liability company calling itself Orange U Glad bought the Santiam Highway building for $3,715,000, according to Linn County’s online tax records. The company is owned by a dentist in El Dorado Hills, Calif., in the Sacramento area.
A limited liability company named ICCO, based in Louisiana but with members in Oregon, runs the medical business.
About 1,500 square feet of the 5,100-square-foot building has been remodeled as the medical office. From the outside, you can see a waiting area, a reception desk, and a series of treatment rooms.
From the company website:
“Founded in 2008, BestMed is a leading provider of urgent care, primary care and occupational medicine services throughout Oregon, Washington, Montana and Wyoming. With over thirty clinics, we aim to serve our patients and be part of the local community… From aches to X-rays BestMed offers a wide range of urgent care, primary care and occupational medicine services. Our services are available to patients of all ages and our clinics are open after hours seven days a week for your convenience.”
The company opened its Lebanon clinic in March 2021. In the Willamette Valley, others are in Salem, Eugene, Dallas, Junction City, and Coburg.
The sign on the highway also refers to a “man clinic.” On its website, Oregon Man Clinics shows its Albany location with a phone number. But the number is answered by the Springfield location.
The person I spoke with there said the Albany location also is expected to open early next year and, though in the same building, is not associated with the urgent care branch of BestMed. (hh)
Over my life it has been interesting to watch the evolution of “urgent care” versus visits to primary care and ERs.
I suppose the evolution has been driven by a complex need for medical care that is non-life threatening but quicker than waiting for an appointment with your primary care provider.
I’ve been a user of all three levels of care and I’ve relied on my intuition (or a loved one’s intuition) to decide which level is appropriate.
So far, my experience with several “urgent care” facilities in several states is very positive.
I hope the users of this new Albany facility have the same experience.
Nice to have options outside of Samaritan.