Satisfying an Urgent Need
The physicians of Roxborough Memorial Hospital’s Urgent Care play a vital role in preserving the health of Roxborough and surrounding communities
Each time Michael A. Minni, D.O., arrives for a shift at Roxborough Memorial Hospital’s Urgent Care, he knows to expect the unexpected. He finds satisfaction in the challenge, rising to the occasion in service to the community’s health.
“You never know what’s going to come through the door, so you have to be prepared to react,” he says. “One minute I might be treating an older gentleman who has shortness of breath, and the next I might be seeing an eight-year-old who swallowed a quarter. It’s a blend of art and science, and I enjoy that kind of dynamic.”
Roxborough Urgent Care is well equipped to treat an array of injuries and illnesses, from sprains and dislocations, lacerations, and concussions, to ear infections, allergic reactions, and common colds, among many others. In addition, Dr. Minni and fellow urgent-care physicians such as Kenneth L. Jacobson, M.D., provide vaccinations, perform family physicals, and offer occupational-health services such as pre-employment physicals and examinations of work-related injuries.
Roxborough Urgent Care is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. While each patient comes to the facility with a specific need, every interaction represents an opportunity to reinforce habits and behaviors that can contribute to overall good health.
“It’s very much a liaison kind of relationship,” says Dr. Jacobson, a board-certified family medicine physician who has more than 30 years of experience in family medicine, emergency care, and urgent care. “If someone has high blood pressure, uncontrolled blood sugar, or high cholesterol, we can emphasize the importance of being active, maintaining a good [body mass index], and adopting other healthy habits.”
In other words, urgent care plays a vital role in the ever-changing landscape of modern American health care; it fills the void for sick or injured individuals with nonemergent conditions when their primary care physician is unavailable or the patient feels they cannot wait for an appointment. Dr. Minni characterizes it as “a home away from home” in terms of medical care.
“We can handle anything you throw at us,” he adds. “If a patient needs more specialized care, we can refer them to one of dozens of specialists [at Roxborough Memorial Hospital] for prompt follow-up.”
Also, if a patient presents with a truly emergent need—symptoms consistent with appendicitis, for example—Roxborough Memorial Hospital is less than 10 minutes away.
“We’re both part of the same system, so our records are linked,” Dr. Minni adds. “That means I have the opportunity to see if the patient’s CAT scan has been read, which gives me a window into the medical decision-making process. It’s part of the learning process for me. I also get a degree of closure, because I get to find out if the patient is OK.”
Dr. Minni is a board-certified family practice physician. He’s also a lifelong Philadelphian. Born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia, he earned his undergraduate degree from St. Joseph’s University and went to medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He finds meaning in the opportunity to care for fellow Philadelphians of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life.
“I love what I get to do,” he says. “One of the most stimulating aspects of urgent care is that you get to form relationships with people and put your own thumbprint on the care they receive.”
Likewise, Dr. Jacobson feels an affinity toward Roxborough and its people. He lived in Roxborough while going to medical school at Temple University School of Medicine.
“It’s a rewarding place to work,” he says. “If a patient can’t be seen in a timely enough manner by their primary care physician, it’s a gift to be able to be seen promptly [in urgent care] for an acute illness or minor injury without having to wait a longer period of time or visit the ER, which is not cost-effective.
“As a physician, it’s a privilege to do the job,” he continues. “Every day is a chance to help a wonderful population of patients who deserve good health. You have the opportunity to calm someone’s fears about an asthma attack or treat a child’s ear infection without them having to suffer for longer periods of time. I get back as much as I give by doing urgent care.”
Urgent Care – Roxborough Memorial Hospital
Andorra Shopping Center
701 Cathedral Road, Suite 11
Philadelphia, PA 19128
(267) 766-6321
roxboroughmemorial.com/our-services/urgent-care
Andorra Shopping Center
701 Cathedral Road, Suite 11
Philadelphia, PA 19128
(267) 766-6321
roxboroughmemorial.com/our-services/urgent-care
Photo by Alison Dunlap
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, April 2024
