Representatives of Camden Clark, providers, the Pleasants Area Chamber of Commerce and Pleasants County Development Authority attended a ribbon cutting at the new Urgent Care and Specialty Clinic opening in St. Marys. (Photo Provided)

ST. MARYS — Expanding medical service throughout the area is the focus of the new Urgent Care and Specialty Clinic in St. Marys opened by WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center.

A ribbon cutting was held Monday at the 5,000 square foot facility at Route 2 Imlay Plaza, 1006 Second St. in St. Marys. The facility includes eight exam rooms, x-ray and lab facilities.

The goal is to increase convenience and access to care for patients in Pleasants County, Ritchie County and surrounding communities, Sean Smith, Camden Clark president and CEO, said.

“We’re thrilled to continue expanding services and accessibility to care within our surrounding communities,” he said. “Our expansion into Pleasants County affords us the opportunity to continue providing quality and convenient care.”

The facility will offer urgent care services for adults and children and laboratory services.

Camden Clark President and CEO Sean Smith, a St. Marys native, speak at a ribbon cutting for the new Urgent Care and Specialty Clinic in St. Marys. (Photo Provided)

“We have walk-in lab draws, x-rays, and they will have rotating specialists,” Smith said.

The new St. Marys location features a rotating Specialty Care Clinic open Monday-Friday by appointment with rotating services available including OB-GYN, general surgery and urology. Arrangements are being made to offer sports medicine at the facility.

“We will continue to evaluate the market to determine what specialties make the most sense to be able to send up there. It is going to be a comprehensive center for primary care and specialty services,” Smith said. “It will be determined by need and demand.”

St. Marys is part of Camden Clark’s primary service area, but WVU Medicine did not have a physical facility between Parkersburg and Paden City, Smith said.

“This was a great opportunity for us to get back into that market,” Smith said. “Our focus over the last couple of years is to expand access to care.

“We have done that through recruitment and developing a deeper bench strength for our specialists, expansion of primary care and … bringing healthcare closer to home.”

Smith said there is a deficiency in health care services in rural areas. The older population has challenges with transportation.

“It is important for us to bring health care to them and make services more convenient,” he said. “This is a great opportunity where they don’t have to drive 30-40 minutes to Parkersburg to get their care.

“This really helps the rural and older populations to be able to get access to services that would be difficult to do otherwise.

The facility is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day for immediate needs without an appointment needed. Onsite laboratory services and x-ray diagnostics are available to patients with an order from a healthcare provider, along with onsite testing for flu, COVID-19, RSV, strep throat, mono and urinary tract infections.

The Specialty Care Clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday 8 a.m.

“We are excited to be up there,” Smith said. “Even without marketing or really any announcements, within the first month we have already exceeded expectations from where we thought we would be.

“We just continue to look forward to a continuing partnership and making sure we are serving the community.”

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com.