Last month marked the Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill’s five year anniversary. Owners and partners Dr. Robert Mazur and physician assistants Catherine Grant and Lori Gaylor opened the facility in 2009 after seeing a need in the community.
“Our vision was to provide access to excellent medical care in the Richmond Hill community, seven days a week with extended hours,” Grant said. “We didn’t want our family and friends to have to drive to Savannah if their doctor’s office wasn’t open.”
Gaylor said the three knew there was a need for urgent medical care as they began to serve the community they love.
“Our roots have grown deep in this community and we have a strong sense of home and family here,” Gaylor said. “We are so fortunate to live and work here, and we are grateful to our community for the support they have shown us. We are committed to continue our promise of professional medical care, close to home. Five years have flown by.”
All three owners have lived in Richmond Hill ranging between eight and 16 years.
“It is an honor to be able to care for friends and neighbors,” Grant said. “The people in Richmond Hill are truly amazing and really care about one another. It is moving to see a community that is able to pull together and support one of their own in times of need.”
The Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill (UCCRH) has been growing since its opening five years ago. The facility started with 2,800 square-feet and seven staff. Now, the facility has more than 4,000 square-feet of space, eight exam rooms, a two-bay procedure room and more than 20 staff including 12 full-time employees and nine part-time and PRN staff.
“We are always evaluating ways that we can better serve our community,” Grant said.
Since its doors opened, the UCCRH has served more than 56,000 patients. The facility has a patient base of more than 26,000 patients, not including the outreach work and mobile clinics offered.
“We are humbled by the number of patients we are lucky enough to serve,” Gaylor said. “I get to do something that I love every single day. I get to take care of people. I get to make a difference in my community. There has never been a day in more than 30 years that I did not look forward to going in to see patients and helping people.”
In 2011, the UCCRH was voted best customer service by the readers of Bryan County News, and in 2012, the facility was awarded Business of the Year by the Richmond Hill-Bryan County Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, in 2013, Gaylor was voted “Best Doctor” in the Best of Bryan Awards.
“Lori has been a physician assistant for more than 30 years, and she was actually my clinical coordinator when I was in PA school, which is where we met,” Grant explained. “Lori is one of the most caring, compassionate providers that I know. She exemplifies what it means to make a difference in everything she does. It is an honor to not only be business partners, but to also be able to call her a friend.”
Mazur is a Westpoint graduate and board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. As a retired United States Army helicopter pilot and flight surgeon, Mazur now acts as medical director of the UCCRH.
“Dr. Mazur is an incredible provider and is able to put patients easily at ease with his humor and good-natured wit,” Grant said. “His leadership as our medical director provides the community access to unparalleled expertise in the way of emergency medicine. I am so thankful to work with such a talented physician with an incredible wealth of knowledge, yet he has never lost his down-to-earth nature and approachability.”
Grant’s partners think just as highly of her as she does of them.
“Catherine is one of the most balanced, hardworking, professional people I know,” said Gaylor. “She is dedicated to her faith, her family and her profession. I enjoyed teaching Catherine when she was a student years ago, and I have enjoyed watching her blossom as a professional, as a wife and mother and as a businesswoman. Catherine brings a great deal of knowledge to the table, and her energy and resourcefulness are endless.”
The three owners and partners work well together, balancing one another with their individual skills and personalities.
“I could not have asked for two better partners,” Grant said. “We all believe that God put us together for a reason, as we each bring different strengths and experiences to the business.”
The UCCRH offers a full-range of services on a walk-in basis. Patients never need an appointment to receive care. The medical facility offers lab testing, Digital X-Ray, onsite EKG, vaccinations and more. The facility also offers a full range of occupational health services such as work-related injuries, breath alcohol testing, audiometer testing, drug testing and more.
The Urgent Care Center, which is located on Exchange Street next to the Kroger on Highway 144, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, visit www.TheUCConline.com.