Tampa Bay will soon have a lower-cost alternative to the emergency room. GuideWell Emergency Doctors announced it will expand into Hillsborough and Pinellas counties with six new locations.
The innovative medical practice, operated by Crucial Care, will treat both urgent and emergency medical needs to patients of all ages and provide an alternative to overcrowded, high-cost emergency rooms by combining the convenience and low-cost of an urgent care clinic with the technology and medical personnel associated with a hospital ER.
High Quality Care at More Affordable Prices
Staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians and bilingual staff, each GuideWell Emergency Doctors location will be equipped with 13 or more examination rooms as well as on-site diagnostic equipment including CT scan, x-ray, ultrasound and certified labs, eliminating the need to send patients to other locations for diagnostic services or to wait hours for results.
The average wait time to see one of the board-certified emergency doctors is only 20 minutes, and the average total length of a visit is only one hour.
“More than $30 billion is estimated to be spent on avoidable emergency room visits each year. GuideWell Emergency Doctors will provide Tampa Bay residents and visitors convenient access to emergency medicine physicians and diagnostic tools that are more personal, efficient and affordable than hospital or stand-alone emergency rooms,” said Dr. Elana Schrader, GuideWell Health president and GuideWell senior vice president of Health Care Services. “On average, treatment at GuideWell Emergency Doctors costs patients one-third of the cost and result in 30 percent fewer hospital admissions than seeking treatment at a hospital emergency room for their major medical issues.”
Reducing Surprise Bills
GuideWell Emergency Doctors also strives to make understanding health care costs easier for patients. Facilities provide transparent pricing to its patients, who are typically made aware how much their visits and treatments will cost before any services are started. Patients also receive only one bill for all diagnostic evaluations, procedures, lab work, physician examinations and other services provided while at the facility, unlike a visit to most traditional emergency rooms which result in multiple invoices from different groups. GuideWell Emergency Doctors accepts most insurance plans and Medicare or patients can pay on their own.
Six New Locations in Tampa Bay Starting to Hire
GuideWell Emergency Doctors started in Central Florida in 2014 and plans to open six new facilities in Tampa Bay beginning in late 2020 and continuing into mid 2021. The new locations will be open 7 days a week with no appointment needed at the following locations:
• Tampa in Stadium Center
• East Tampa on Fletcher Ave.
• Largo on Missouri Ave.
• Palm Harbor on Curlew Road
• North Tampa on N Dale Mabry Highway
• St. Petersburg on 4th Street North
The new locations will bring approximately 160 career opportunities to the market. Open positions will include facility directors, marketing/community relations professionals, patient services specialists, medical lab technologists, patient care coordinators, ER-experienced registered nurses, CT/radiology techs, ultrasound techs and board-certified emergency room physicians. Health care professionals hired into these positions can enjoy the benefits of brand-new facilities outfitted with cutting edge technology, an environment that encourages team participation in process improvements, opportunities for growth and no overnights. Interested candidates should visit Crucial Care's career site to find out more about position qualifications and how to apply.
GuideWell Emergency Doctors, LLC, was formed in 2014 by GuideWell Health, a business unit of GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (GuideWell). The innovative medical facilities provide a high-quality, cost-effective alternative for unscheduled medical needs currently serving the Orlando market. The facilities are staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians and medical staff capable of treating both major medical conditions and minor urgent care needs for patients of all ages. The facilities are operated by Jacksonville-based Crucial Care.
About the Author
Christie DeNave
Christie Hyde DeNave is a Senior Media Relations Consultant for GuideWell, devoted to serving Central Florida, Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. She has worked around the globe with local, national and international media for nearly 20 years representing organizations such as the U.S. Olympic Committee, NASCAR, AAA and the State of Florida. In her free time, you’ll spot Christie cheering on the Clemson Tigers and serving on the Clemson University Alumni Council.
