Carolina QuickCare reopened its Williamston clinic on Tuesday, but officials said they’re temporarily offering only virtual care.
The urgent care center closed on January 17 due to staffing shortages, but will now see patients Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Officials said that patients will check in online or in person before being guided to an exam room by a medical assistant. Patients will then connect with a provider via video for their consultation.
Vitals and medical information, along with tests for COVID-19, flu, and strep, will be performed on-site. Prescriptions and test orders will continue to be managed just like in-person visits. However, they said some services such as physicals and procedures may not be available under the virtual care format.
The clinic closure came two years after the only local hospital, Martin General Hospital, shut down, leaving the rural area few options for health care services.
ECU Health is working on a plan to restore healthcare in Martin County by reopening Martin General as a rural emergency hospital, but it hinges on a $220 million allocation from the state legislature, which is currently tied up in stalled budget negotiations.
