Good Shepherd Health Care System announced Thursday, Oct. 10, it is extending hours at its Urgent Care to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

HERMISTON — Good Shepherd Health Care System announced Wednesday, May 8, it plans to create a state-of-the-art urgent care in its space in the Columbia Professional Plaza rather than build a new clinic on North First Street.

“After careful and thorough review, our leadership determined the ability to increase patient access and throughput is best maximized in the current urgent care space we already have,” said GSHCS President and CEO Art Mathisen. “The decision to improve our current space was driven by what’s best for our patients, communities, and staff. Additionally, having our urgent care clinic in close proximity to our hospital allows us to coordinate quality patient care in a way that isn’t possible off-campus.”

Good Shepherd’s urgent care is at 1050 W. Elm Ave., across from the hospital’s main campus in Hermiston.

In a press release, Good Shepherd said the revamped space will be designed to optimize patient flow, navigation and privacy. In addition, GSHCS plans to use the latest technology to streamline the online (and walk-in) patient check-in process and reduce wait times. This app-driven technology will be accessible from a patient’s phone or device.

Diagnostic imaging and laboratory support services also will be within the remodeled clinic space, consistent with the same standard as those services in the hospital setting, according to the press release.

“Having the support services of lab and X-ray embedded in our urgent care clinic allows for one-stop care for our patients,” Mathisen said. “This really adds to the convenience our patients are needing for quick and thorough urgent care.”

Construction is set to begin this year.

“We want to be the urgent care of choice for our communities and look forward to the high level of care we can deliver with our new plans for Good Shepherd urgent care,” Mathisen said.