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Staff, faculty have options for primary care needs by Heather Woolwine Public Relations MUSC employees now have two options for employee-centered primary care needs with the opening of the University Internal Medicine’s (UIM) Rapid Access Center (RAC) in Rutledge Tower.   RAC was created to provide same-day, on-campus medical service to help meet adult acute care needs for regular UIM patients, MUSC employees, their spouses, and adult children. It is the result of the recent merger between the University Diagnostic Center and Adult Primary Care Center.   Similar in design to the MUSC Family Medicine same-day service clinic, both outlets ensure same-day service for employees with urgent care needs and follow-up to establish ongoing primary care. RAC provides immediate medical appointments with an internal medicine faculty member for employees, their families and established UIM patients suffering from illness or experiencing any variety of symptoms including fever, headache, dizziness, sore throat, urinary pain, rash or skin infections, joint pain or pink eye/conjunctivitis, etc. Temporary employees, agency workers, and “travelers” can also utilize the service, but should check with a RAC financial counselor to make sure their insurance covers RAC services.   RAC is dedicated to serving only patients with urgent care needs. Employees who desire fast service should call 876-0888 in case of a last minute appointment. RAC appointments are scheduled in 10 minute intervals to accommodate speedy service. RAC discourages walk-ins, so call first.   While most employee insurance plans cover this service at the normal in-network primary care rate, Cigna HMO and Blue Choice do not cover these visits unless a referral is made from the patient’s primary care physician. Patients are asked to double-check with the appropriate insurance carrier for information about whether a visit would be covered.   RAC is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and is located within internal medicine on the eighth floor of Rutledge Tower. To schedule an appointment, call 876-0888 and ask for a rapid access appointment. MUSC Family Medicine announces Employee Advantage program MUSC Family Medicine will provide personalized scheduling services for acute care. What this means for employees is that when an individual is sick, he or she may call 792-3451 and request a same-day appointment without having to wait for that appointment in the waiting room.   A patient’s registration and insurance information will be collected via the telephone, and he or she will give the operator contact information so the patient can be reached when the appointment time becomes available.   In essence, the program seeks to allow employees to remain in the comfort of their office while waiting for their appointment time. However, the regular walk-in option applies for those who prefer it, whether the cause is an urgent care or some other immediate primary care need. The comprehensive same-day service and Employee Advantage program exists for all Family Medicine locations, including downtown, Mount Pleasant, and Trident campus.   Family Medicine offices are open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. To schedule an appointment, call 792-3451 or walk-in.     Friday, June 9, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publication at 849-1778, ext. 201.