Doctors Express, the nation’s second-largest private urgent care operator, held its ribbon cutting today on its new Lawrence location at 10950 Pendleton Pike. The Lawrence location is the second Indianapolis-area location for Doctors Express Urgent Care. There is also an urgent care/family care center at 7411 N. Keystone Ave.

Lawrence Mayor Dean Jessup, Brian Stanton and Randy Franiak, M.D., were on hand with many Lawrence economic development leaders. They, along with Lawrence head physician, Imtiaz Ahmad, M.D., have established a second high-quality, state-of-the art, walk-in medical center that is comfortable, convenient and affordable for patients.

Board certified in family practice, Dr. Ahmad was previously employed with Riverview Hospital and IU Health in Fishers. He is married with three children, who are also pursuing medical school, and enjoys bike riding and tennis when he’s not providing patient care. In addition to English, he speaks Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi and Arabic, treats patients and oversees all of the day-to-day medical operations at the new Lawrence center (located at 10950 Pendleton Pike).

“We are excited to open a second Doctors Express location, and look forward to providing patient-focused, affordable healthcare to Lawrence residents,” Stanton said. “Urgent care fills a void in the medical system, treating those cases that don’t require the resources and expense of a hospital emergency room or when patients may not be able to get in to see their primary care physician.”

The Doctors Express walk-in medical center differs from other medical centers by offering high-quality and accessible medical care with a consistent, broad range of treatment and services on the spot. Under one roof, experienced physicians and medical staff diagnose and treat illnesses, dispense medication and have the capabilities to X-ray and set broken bones. The centers also include onsite labs that give quick test results for ailments such as mono and strep throat, provide treatment for workplace injuries covered by workers’ compensation, drug and alcohol screenings, pre-employment and sports physicals, as well as travel immunizations and vaccinations. Plus, the average wait time to see a physician is only 15 – 20 minutes.

Doctors Express (DRX) is the first-ever national franchise of urgent care. American Family Care (AFC) acquired DRX in 2013, making it the second-largest privately-owned urgent care operator in the country. D. Bruce Irwin, M.D., founded AFC in 1982 in Hoover, Ala., with a business model of “putting the patient first.” The national franchise will benefit the local AFC/Doctors Express by sharing best practices across all centers and leveraging its size to keep prices lower for local consumers.

[source: Doctors Express]