Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care knows firsthand the pressures of a business executive and the importance of an annual executive physical. After all, we’re a business too and we’ve got top-notch financial, marketing and other executives working hard to help us keep delivering the best urgent care available while growing our company (see the news report about our joint venture with Baptist Health and look for three new Northeast Florida locations this year).

Unfortunately, that high-achiever lifestyle typical of C-Suite dwellers and other junior and senior level executives means that health often takes second place to landing that big new account. Long hours, meals on the run and stress eventually will take their toll. So while it means a time investment, taking care of your health will pay off. A study by the University of Michigan Management Research Center showed that executives who underwent regular executive physical exams had 20% fewer health claims and missed 45% fewer workdays than those who skip annual exams.

To help keep you in top form Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care offers annual executive physicals designed to screen for all the health risk factors common in those patients who live the high-achiever’s lifestyle. We run an EKG to help identify potential heart complications, test for blood pressure and blood sugar levels and perform vision and hearing tests, plus many more general and executive-specific health screens. And a Solantic urgent care physician will go over all of your lifestyle choices in and out of the office to help pinpoint health and behavior risk factors and recommend ways to improve.

Solantic executive physicals are competitively priced and convenient. Schedule yours any of our nearly 30 urgent care centers throughout Florida today. We’ll help keep you off the surgeon’s table and winning at the negotiating table.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Solantic, Baptist Heath Announce Joint Venture Partnership

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2010) — Two of the most recognized health care leaders in Northeast Florida are uniting to offer urgent care patients a broader continuum of care for their medical needs.
Solantic walk-in urgent care and Baptist Health of Northeast Florida today announced their agreement to form an integrated, co-branded urgent care network in the greater Jacksonville area. The partnership will include all nine of the existing Solantic urgent care centers in North Florida, which will be jointly owned 50/50 by Solantic and Baptist, but will continue to be managed and staffed by Solantic.
The centers will be renamed Solantic Baptist Urgent Care in April 2010, once integration efforts are complete. Baptist and Solantic intend to grow the urgent care network, with three additional Jacksonville locations planned this year.
As it is the mission of both organizations to provide patients with access to quality, affordable health care, the joint venture is an important step in providing citizens of the Northeast Florida community an enhanced patient experience by offering even more access to continuity of care.
“Urgent care is a dimension of healthcare delivery that Baptist considers important to include as part of our comprehensive community health system,” said Hugh Greene, Baptist President and CEO. “As we have studied urgent care and considered many strategies for how to most effectively offer this service to the community, Solantic has emerged as the natural choice. Solantic is distinguished by the fact that board-certified physicians staff each of its centers. In addition, its high level of patient satisfaction is one of many indicators that Karen Bowling and her team have built a highly effective and successful model for urgent care.”
“While the services we offer are different, Solantic and Baptist Health’s mission and values are very similar,” said Karen Bowling, CEO of Solantic. “Baptist has long maintained an outstanding reputation for its commitment to the community and to its patients. I cannot think of a better partner for Solantic and look forward to what we will be able to accomplish together.”
The partnership will allow Baptist and Solantic to create a more integrated network that connects urgent care to the broader resources of a comprehensive health system.
“We intend to make it easy for Solantic patients who need follow-up care to leave the urgent care center with an appointment to a primary care or similarly appropriate physician in their hands,” Greene said. “In essence, while always honoring the patient’s choice, we will seek to make the referral process an effortless and seamless one for the patient. Our collective vision is to help more people manage their ongoing health needs.”
“This partnership will allow us to coordinate care and focus on ways to reduce the costs of healthcare for the benefit of the patients,” Bowling added. “Additionally, we expect Baptist Health will be very helpful in educating patients about when to use urgent care, as a recent study conducted by our company indicated some people are still confused about the services provided at urgent care centers as well as when urgent care is appropriate.”
Solantic’s current North Florida market coverage includes locations in Arlington, Mandarin, Neptune Beach, Northside, Orange Park, Southside, St. Augustine, Westside and Yulee (inside WalMart). A tenth center will open in the Miramar Plaza in San Marco March 25 and a Beaches and Hodges center in May.
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About Solantic
Since its founding in 2001, Solantic has been a leader in applying retail concepts to the practice of urgent care medicine. Referred to in the media as the “Starbucks of healthcare,” Solantic was the first to post its simplified, three-tiered pricing on large menu boards in centers, display wait times on queue monitors, offer online registration, Solantic gift cards and a guarantee on its services—if you don’t feel better, return to Solantic and be treated for free.
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, Solantic is the fastest growing urgent care company in Florida, currently operating 30 centers, with aggressive plans to expand in 2010 through hospital joint ventures and franchising with physicians.
In addition to urgent care, Solantic also provides workers comp’ and occupational medicine and a range of lab services, immunizations, physicals, wellness testing and prescriptions on-site. Centers are staffed by board-certified physicians and are open seven days a week, with extended evening and weekend hours. For additional information visit www.solantic.com.

About Baptist
Baptist Health is a faith-based, mission-driven system comprised of Baptist Medical Center Downtown and Baptist Heart Hospital; Baptist Medical Center Beaches; Baptist Medical Center Nassau; Baptist Medical Center South; and Wolfson Children’s Hospital – Jacksonville’s only children’s hospital.
All Baptist Health hospitals, along with Baptist Home Health Care, have achieved Magnet™ status, an international quality designation that recognizes excellence in patient care. Baptist Health also includes cardiology and cardiovascular surgery services; a comprehensive cancer center; orthopaedic institute; women’s resource center; neurosciences, including neurosurgery and two Joint Commission-certified stroke centers; a full range of psychology and psychiatry services; outpatient facilities; urgent care services and a network of primary care physicians’ offices throughout Northeast Florida.
Baptist Health is the official healthcare provider for the Jacksonville Jaguars. For more information, visit www.e-baptisthealth.com. For information on Wolfson Children’s Hospital, visit www.wolfsonchildrens.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mary Green 　　　　　　　　　　
Director, Communications/Public Relations　 　 　
Solantic 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
marygreen@solantic.com　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Office: 904.312.5374　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Cell: 904.524.2137

Cindy Hamilton　
Director, Corporate Communications/Public Relations
Baptist Health
Cindy.Hamilton@bmcjax.com
Office: 904.202.4907　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

If you’re thinking about your New Year’s health resolutions, Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care and the American Heart Association can help. The AHA has set a few long-term resolutions of its own, all aimed at helping you improve your cardiovascular health. And you can stop by any Solantic urgent care center for a thorough, personalized health assessment.

The AHA recently defined “ideal cardiovascular health” for the first time recently, identifying seven health factors and lifestyle behaviors that lead to a healthier, stronger heart. The goal is to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent and reduce deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent – all by the year 2020.

Dubbed “Life’s Simple 7,” the AHA-identified healthy heart factors for adults as:

•    Never smoked or quit more than one year ago
•    Body mass index less than 25 kilograms per square meter
•    Physical activity of at least 150 minutes (moderate) or 75 minutes (vigorous) each week
•    Four to five of the key components of a healthy diet consistent with current AHA guideline recommendations
•    Total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL
•    Blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg
•    Fasting blood glucose less than 100 mg/dL

The new stated goals come on the heels of the AHA’s successful effort to reduce death by heart disease and stroke by 25 percent by 2010. You can get started on your own 2020 healthy heart plan today by scheduling a physical at any one of our nearly 30 Solantic urgent care centers located throughout Florida. We offer basic annual physicals tailored for children and youth to 17 years old; adults 18-44; and adults 45 and older. Specialized physicals for athletes and executives also are available, as are OSHA and DOT/DOE physicals that may be required for certain jobs such as driving any commercial vehicle. If you’re planning a surgery, Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care also offers pre-op physicals to assure you’re healthy enough to undergo a successful operation.

With each physical, a Solantic physician will let you know exactly where your health, including your cardiovascular health, stands. This will help determine your best cardiovascular health improvement plan, getting you started on both your own New Year’s health resolutions and the AHA’s 2020 heart-healthy America plan. Browse our website to find a Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care location near you, make an appointment and even have directions to our offices texted to your phone.

It’s a question we get often: Why should I choose an urgent care center over the emergency room or my primary care physician? There are many cases in which you absolutely should go to an emergency room. Despite the name, urgent care centers are not equipped or staffed to help in cases of traumatic or life-threatening illnesses or injuries including heart attacks, strokes and head injuries involving a loss of consciousness. Nor can an urgent care clinic help with reproductive services and problems such as pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

However, for a multitude of injuries and illnesses needing immediate care, urgent care centers offer the same high-quality services you’ll get in an ER or hospital for a fraction of the cost. In fact, reports by top trusted sources including the Journal of the American Medical Association show that many Americans are using urgent care and walk-in clinics in lieu of emergency rooms or traditional primary physicians for acute illness and injury care. While there are more than 8,000 urgent care centers in the U.S. according to the Urgent Care Association of America, there are only about 4,600 hospital emergency departments.

At Solantic Urgent Care, we offer extended-hours services for illnesses and injuries requiring immediate care, including: 

• Respiratory infection
• Headaches and migraines
• Sore throats
• Sprains or fractures
• Cold or flu symptoms
• Ear and eye infections
• Pulled or strained muscles
• Childhood illnesses
• Cuts, bruises and burns
• Bladder infections
• Auto accident injuries

If, during the course of your visit to Solantic Urgent Care, we find that your medical condition requires more intense care than we’re equipped or staffed to offer, we’ll refer you to an emergency room or specialist.

For appropriate medical needs, an urgent care center can be an equally effective and much more affordable choice. A visit to an emergency department for a non-emergent service could end up costing you three to four times more than a visit to an urgent care clinic. Plus, overuse of ERs is among the top drivers of higher insurance premiums and increased medical costs overall today. So, not only does using an urgent care center help save everyone money, but it helps ease time delays so that ER physicians can focus on more emergent cases. Solantic also is an in-network provider with most benefit plans for numerous insurance companies.

Browse our website or stop by one of our nearly 30 Florida locations to find out why Solantic Urgent Care is a top choice for your health needs.

Winter brings its own full set of potential health concerns, many that could land you or your loved ones in a hospital or urgent care center. But by far, the most prevalent winter ailment is the common cold. 

Urgent care centers nationwide see a lot of patients with the common cold each year. There are more than 200 viruses that can cause a cold and reports show that U.S. residents get more than a billion colds annually. It’s the No. 1 reason that children miss school and adults miss work.

Once a cold virus enters the body it begins to multiply, causing a whole host of symptoms including runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, mild fever and aches and pains. There no cure for the common cold nor is there a vaccine to protect you from catching one. For the most immediate care of cold symptoms, try a mild pain reliever or over-the-counter cold remedy. Just know that OTC remedies will only help relieve symptoms, but will not shorten your illness. A common cold must simply run its course. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water or juices and be sure to get plenty of sleep. 

To help prevent a cold wash your hands up to the elbows several times daily, particularly after contact with others showing any symptoms. Keep your natural resistance to illnesses strong by eating healthy, balanced meals, exercising regularly and getting adequate nightly sleep. Turning your thermostat down and keeping your home humid also helps. That’s because dry air dries out the mucous membranes in your nose and throat causing them to crack, creating entry points for cold viruses.

If your cold symptoms persist for more than a few days or if you begin to vomit, have chest pain or difficulty breathing or painful swallowing, head to an urgent care clinic or hospital as soon as possible. These may be signs of a secondary problem aggravated by a cold and requiring immediate care. For instance, aside from a mild discomfort, a cold will not cause painful swallowing. This may be a sign of a more serious infection or injury.

A cold also will not cause shortness of breath or chest pain. If you experience this, head to an urgent care center or hospital ASAP, as this could be a sign of a much more serious problem such as heart disease, asthma or pneumonia.

A cough that lasts more than a few days may be related to asthma or Gastroesophageal reflux disease (commonly known as GERD), a condition that causes food or liquid to travel backwards from the stomach to the esophagus. Physicians nationwide also have seen an increase in pertussis, aka whooping cough, in children over the past few years – something to check on if a cough lasts more than two weeks.

Each of these heightened conditions calls for immediate care. Solantic Urgent Care locations are found throughout Florida. You never need an appointment and we guarantee that if you’re not feeling better in three days after your initial visit, your follow up visit is free.

Solantic Challenges Consumers to Take Charge, “Fill In Their Blanks” With Wellness Testing Program

New Service Helps Identify Hidden Health Issues, Evaluate Health Risks

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – (Nov. 23, 2009) – Solantic walk-in urgent care is making it easier for consumers to take charge of their own health with a new wellness testing program now being offered at the company’s 30 centers statewide.

The service combines between three and 12 related blood tests and appropriate ancillary testing for disease or condition-specific panels that can serve as an indicator of an individual’s health risks or help identify hidden issues that can cause serious medical problems. The tests can also serve as a benchmark for those who are concerned about their risk for inherited diseases.

The 14 wellness testing panels offered – some of which are gender-specific – range from anemia, arthritis, cholesterol and cancer panels to fatigue and nutritional panels.

“We realize that many people are interested in their overall wellness as it may relate to their specific concerns,” says Solantic chief medical officer Nathan Newman, M.D. “Although we already offered a full complement of blood tests as individual single tests, with this program we grouped complementary lab test that might be helpful evaluating symptoms, diseases and illnesses.”

Testing is easy, convenient and affordable. Patients can log onto Solantic’s website (www.solantic.com) or visit the nearest Solantic center to review the tests available and make their selection(s). Once a selection has been made, the patient’s blood and other appropriate samples are drawn and sent to a certified laboratory for testing. Prices for wellness testing panels are all-inclusive and are substantially less expensive less than comparable lab tests.

After test results are received, a Solantic physician will review the results, highlight any areas of concern, then mail the results directly to the patient home for follow-up with the patient’s physician.

“Surprisingly, with the exception of some online companies, there are few-to-no programs of this type in existence based on our research” says Solantic CEO Karen Bowling. “Too often people wait until they have symptoms to go to a doctor,” she added. “If we can save one life by making access to blood tests and blood pressure screenings easier, we will have made a significant difference with this program. ”

Below is a full list of available wellness panels available at Solantic and pricing:

• Anemia Panel - $75
• Arthritis Panel - $50 (Basic); $200 (Comprehensive)
• Cancer Panel - $300 (Female); $110 (Male)
• Cardiac Panel - $75 (basic); $275 (Comprehensive)
• Cholesterol Panel - $50 (Basic); $150 (Comprehensive)
• Diabetes Panel - $50
• Fatigue Panel - $30
• Heartburn/Ulcer Panel - $150
• Hormonal Panel - $350
• Kidney Panel - $30
• Liver Panel - $175
• Nutritional Panel - $325
• STD Panel - $185
• Toxic Environmental Panel - $375

Alternatively, consumers can order individual tests and immunizations from Solantic’s A La Carte menu of services. A sampling of services and associated pricing is below:

• Basic Metabolic Profile: $20
• Blood pressure: $20
• Cholesterol: $35
• EKG: $65
• Glucose: $20
• Hepatitis B Vaccine: $75
• Meningitis Vaccine: $125
• Pneumonia Vaccine: $60
• PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen): $35
• Pulmonary Function: $40
• Uric Acid: $20

For more information about Solantic’s wellness services or for center locations, hours and additional services offered, visit www.solantic.com.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2009) — Solantic, Florida’s largest provider of walk-in urgent care, is celebrating a company milestone with the opening of its West Palm Beach center Thursday, Nov. 19.

Conveniently located at 1880 Okeechobee Blvd near I-95 in the Palm Beach Market Place, the center is the company’s 30th location and the sixth Solantic in South Florida.

The spacious, 4,993-square-foot facility encompasses eight exam rooms, a treatment room, and
on-site digital x-ray and laboratory services. Most insurance is accepted and hours of operation
are 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The center
phone number is 561-420-8900.

The center will be staffed by board-certified physicians and a full complement of medical professionals who will provide immunizations and treatment for a variety of ailments and injuries, including flu shots; coughs and colds; cuts, bruises and burns; ear, eye and upper respiratory infections; sore throats; and sprains and fractures.

In addition to urgent care, Solantic offers wellness services (a broad range of physicals, immunizations and blood testing for diseases and medical conditions), workers’ compensation and occupational medicine services. The company also recently introduced the Solantic Card, a cash-value gift card that can be used to pay for medical services provided at the company’s centers.

“It is genuinely exciting to not only celebrate our milestone 30th location, but also to expand our South Florida presence with this West Palm Beach center,” says Solantic president and CEO Karen Bowling. “We look forward to providing convenient and fairly priced care to our core urgent care patients as well as employers whose workers are in need of immediate care.”

For more information about Solantic walk-in urgent care or for center locations, hours and services, visit www.solantic.com.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 13, 2009
MEDIA ALERT
Solantic Offering H1N1 (Swine Flu) Mist Vaccine in
Duval County, Orange County, Marion County and Boynton Beach Centers
WHO:
Solantic walk-in urgent care…

WHAT:
…is now dispensing the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) nasal spray (mist) vaccine at company urgent care centers in four counties. The cost for administering the vaccine is $20. No appointment is needed and walk-ins are welcome.

The nasal spray vaccine contains the weakened live H1N1 flu virus and is recommended for healthy people ages 2 to 49. Pregnant women, those younger than 2 and older than 49, and those with chronic health conditions should get the injectable H1N1 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

WHEN:
Effective Tuesday, October 13, 2009

WHERE:
Duval County centers where the vaccine is available include: Arlington (2401 Monument Road), Beaches (410 Atlantic Boulevard); Mandarin (12303 San Jose Boulevard), Northside (2032 Dunn Avenue), Orange Park (2140 Kingsley Avenue), St. Augustine (2095 U.S. Highway 1 S.), Southside (8705-2 Perimeter Park Boulevard) and Westside (5915 Normandy Boulevard).
Orange County centers where the vaccine is available include: Apopka, 3840 East State Road 436, Suite 1000; East Colonial; 11250 E. Colonial Dr. inside WalMart; East Sand Lake, 7751 Kingspointe Parkway, Suite 114; Fashion Square, 4301 East Colonial Drive; MetroWest, 2555 South Kirkman Road; Orlando International Airport, 9331 A Airport Blvd (inside Terminal B); and South Orange, 2323 South Orange Ave., Suite A.
Solantic’s Marion County center is at 2415 S.W. College Avenue.
The Boyton Beach center is at 830 N. Congress Avenue.
For center hours, directions and to register online, visit www.solantic.com.
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Our mission is to provide convenient health care at a fair price
with as little hassle as possible. And to consistently provide a level
of customer service that exceeds expectations and communicates a
sincere concern for our customers.

That all boils down to
one simple idea: easy access to affordable health care for you and your
family. Our on-site medical professionals share a passion for providing
medical care in a timely and efficient manner. Our entire staff works
hard to make sure your visit to Solantic is a pleasant and positive
experience. The whole idea is to make you feel good.