News

New Beebe Health Center Walk-in Care in Kmart Receives Warm Welcome

07/02/09

The Beebe Health Center Walk-in Care officially opened in the Rehoboth Beach Kmart on Tuesday as Dennis Kondash, DO, Medical Director, cut the ribbon and dignitaries, friends and representatives of both organizations attended and toured the facility.

The mood was a celebratory one as attendees mingled and Beebe volunteers welcomed visitors with cookies and soft drinks. The official ceremony was brief, though, as patients began arriving to seek non-emergency health care for such ailments as ear aches and stomach upsets.

We are pleased to able to bring cost effective and convenient healthcare to our community and thank Kmart for helping us make it possible, Jeffrey M. Fried, President and CEO of Beebe Medical Center, said at the ribbon cutting. Mr. Fried also thanked several Beebe Medical Center Board members and staff members for working hard to make the center possible. Those he cited who were attending the event included: Janet McCarty, Chair of the Beebe Medical Center Board of Trustees, Paul Mylander, Treasurer of the Board, and Mary Bragg, Beebe Medical Center Property Manager for Satellite Support.

Jim Berens, Kmart District Manager, also voiced his thanks for the opportunity for Kmart to bring non-emergency healthcare to the community. This health center is good for our customers, our community and us, he said, adding. We are honored to be part of this effort and look forward to helping those in our community. He was joined by Matt Earnest, the Store Manager.

Dr. Kondash, donning his white physician coat, was prepared to take care of arriving patients.

In-store clinics are becoming a popular trend across the country because they provide care by trained medical providers when it is needed, at a convenient location and at a reasonable price, he said. We already have found a strong need for our service here in Kmart, both from out-of-town visitors and for residents whose own physicians are unavailable.

Beebe Health Center Walk-in Care represents a new relationship by Beebe Physician Network, a subsidiary of Beebe Medical Center, and Kmart, a subsidiary of Sears Holdings. It provides year-round, non-emergency care for residents whose primary care physician is unavailable. It provides year-round, non-emergency care to visitors who do not have a local physician and are not so sick as to feel they need to go to the hospital emergency room.

The center is open for convenient, extended hours. Hours are:
" Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
" Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
" Sunday. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The fee for service is $99 a visit. Some insurances are accepted and no appointments are necessary. Injuries and illnesses treated include: upper respiratory infections, ear infections, gastrointestinal complaints, sprains, and skin conditions such as athlete's foot, poison ivy and ringworm. Some vaccines also will be offered. They include flu, pneumonia, Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria) and Zostavax (for shingles).

Rehoboth Beach Kmart is located at 19563 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach (On the northbound side of Coastal Highway between the cities of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach).

In the event of a life-threatening illness or accident, patients are advised to dial 911.

Caption: It was a jubilant mood this week at the official opening of the Beebe Health Center Walk-in Care inside the Rehoboth Beach Kmart. Taking part in the ribbon cutting, left to right, Jeffrey M. Fried, President and CEO of Beebe Medical Center; Matt Earnest, Store Manager, Rehoboth Beach Kmart; Pam Travis, Beebe Health Center Walk-in Care employee; Jim Berens, Kmart District Manager, Delaware; cutting the ribbon Dennis Kondash, DO, Medical Director; James Bartle, Vice President, Finance, CFO, Beebe Medical Center; Wallace Hudson, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Beebe Medical Center; Debbie Craft, Director, Beebe Physician Network, Operations; The Honorable William Swain Lee, Vice Chair, Beebe Medical Center Board of Trustees; Janet McCarty, Chair, Beebe Medical Center Board of Trustees; and George Scocchi, Construction Project Manager, Sears.

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org