By Mike Steely
steelym@knoxfocus.com
Do you need medical care at about one-third the cost of emergency room visits? How about visiting Well-Key Urgent Care, where you’ll find seven-day a week service, x-rays, labs, and physicians on-site.
Well-Key is named for the two doctors who founded the urgent care facility, Dr. J. Michael Rothwell and Dr. Robin Huskey. The two started with their first office in Sevierville and now operate Well-Care Urgent Care at 606 Clinton Highway in Knoxville and also have an office in Maryville.
Dr. Rothwell spoke with The Focus recently at the Clinton Highway office. Coming from a background in general care and trauma surgery, Rothwell said the idea started in Sevierville with Smoky Mountain Urgent Care and it became so successful that the doctors quit their practices to devote their time fully to expanding their Urgent Care.
“We were well received and our patients enjoyed it,” he said of the concept of providing most services then only offered at hospital emergency rooms. “Access to a person’s primary care can be difficult during busy times of the year. Here a person can be in and out in about an hour from when they walk in,” he said.
Dr. Rothwell said the offices take most insurance as well as Medicare and even offer a cash discount to help people who have no insurance or simply want to pay for the visit. “A visit to an emergency room could cost $1,000 or more,” he said. “Why pay for an emergency, when it’s not?”
“We can treat a person and then refer to their primary care physician and some doctors refer patients to us on weekends and after hours.”
Dr. Rothwell said the Well-Key Urgent Care is different in that it is locally owned by physicians who work and live in the immediate area, not by a large-scale corporation from out of state. The three clinics are prepared to treat everything from colds and flu, respiratory problems, allergies, rash, minor injuries, sprains and fractures, GI distress and nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Adults and children 6 months and older are welcome with no appointment necessary and Well-Key also offers comprehensive Occupational Health and Worker Compensation services.
