DirectCare to close doors on Sunday

Will merge with Walk-In Clinic within Davis Medical Center

ELKINS -- Davis Health System is closing its DirectCare facility off the Beverly Pike Five-lane this weekend, with officials saying it will be merged with the Walk-In Clinic within Davis Medical Center.

"On May 1, Davis Medical Center's Walk-In Clinic and DirectCare of Elkins will merge services, moving to the location at Davis Medical Center on Gorman Avenue," a press release from DHS stated Tuesday afternoon.

DirectCare will close its doors for good on Sunday, after more than a decade of being open next to Bob Evans restaurant.

The Walk-in Clinic, by contrast, just re-opened in February after being shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The two locations have complementary strengths, and we look forward to bringing them together for the benefit of our patients and communities," Carla Johnston, DHS System Director of Ancillary and Physician Clinics, said in the press release. "Patients like the ability to be seen without appointment, the shorter wait times, and lower cost of walk-in care."

Officials said the merger will benefit patients "due to the convenient and timely access to needed ancillary services such labs, x-ray services, and the emergency department for specialized care. Patients can easily be referred for additional testing, consultation or specialized care all in the same location as the clinic."

"It will also help reduce 'bottleneck' in the Emergency Department by allowing non-emergency patients to be seen in a more appropriate setting for their care," the release continues. "Walk-in care is less costly than an emergency room visit and is open to patients of all ages.

"Another convenient feature from the merger is that Health Center Pharmacy is located in the same facility. This will eliminate an extra stop for patients on their way home and allow them to fill prescriptions before they leave the building.

"The walk-in care providers are also closely aligned with our team of primary care providers, which means they already know the patients' health history and have access to the patient's medical records," the release states.

The clinic provides immediate care for acute services like cold, cough, flu, earache, sore throat, sinus infection, UTI, pink eye, insect bites and diarrhea, as well as minor injuries including sprains, strains, minor burns and sports physicals.

With the merger, the new facility's hours will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. On Saturdays, the facility will be open from 8 a.m. until noon. No appointment is necessary to see a physician at the clinic.

The clinic is located on the ground floor of Davis Medical Center, with the Family Practice and Pediatrics services. For more information, call 304-636-4585.