VALDOSTA — South Georgia Medical Center announces extended hours at Convenient Care South.

To better meet the needs of working men and women, the clinic, which is located at 520 Griffin Ave. (Statenville Highway) is now open until 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The clinic provides walk-in urgent care and occupational medicine services, including drug screens and alcohol testing.

The clinic is staffed Dr. James Eutzler, who is board certified in emergency medicine, two nurses, an X-ray technologist, a medical support tech, and a medical office assistant.

“We want the community to know that Convenient Care South operates much like Convenient Care Valdosta, but we have the additional benefit of offering occupational medicine services, including hearing tests, pulmonary function tests, breath-alcohol tests and drug screenings,” said Mary Laura Norman, RN, director of Convenient Care Services.

“However, we have a large number of patients from North Florida and Lake Park who drive past this facility and go on to South Georgia Medical Center’s Emergency Department for treatment. We want individuals and area employers to know that we are open and well-equipped to handle their ambulatory care and occupational medicine needs.”

With the extended hours, Convenient Care South hopes to relieve some of the overcrowding at the Emergency Department. Convenient Care South can do everything from simple school physicals to episodic care for flu and sore throats.

“We also have on-call employees who can go to local businesses and industries 24-hours a day to perform drug screens and breath-alcohol testing,” Norman said.

Convenient Care South accepts Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare and private insurance, and provides indigent and charity care for those who qualify. Convenient Care South uses all-inclusive billing.

Patients or employers receive one global bill covering all charges including the physician’s fee, X-ray, lab tests, etc.

“Global billing has been very positive, employers really like it because it consolidates all charges for one patient,” Norman said.

The 4,400-square-foot Convenient Care South facility offers five treatment rooms with laboratory and X-ray areas adjacent to the exam rooms.

For information, call (229) 249-4010.