Urgent Care Now Open Inside Downtown Rochester's Medical Center

The city's first and only urgent care center, Urgent Care RMC, is open for patients in downtown Rochester.

It's part of the Rochester Medical Center at the corner of University and Main streets.

The facility, which Pierre Atallah opened in 1991, includes Atallah’s cardiology practice as well as three other doctors' offices. It includes diagnostics services such as bloodwork, X-rays and ultrasounds.

And now, it includes the urgent care.

Atallah, 66, of Oakland Township has been working on the urgent care project since October “to give people easy access to the Rochester Medical Center, give them more hours, provide them more care.”

With the addition of the urgent care center, patients now have access to care without an appointment. It features four new exam rooms, a physician’s room and a reception area. Two of the internists, Walid Mansoor and Samar El-Achkar, oversee the patients. Atallah, who is chairman of the RMC, hired six staff members as well.

“We’ve had a lot of positive reception from patients,” he said. “They’ve been well cared for. They follow up with the physicians at the center if need be.”

Urgent care centers are designed for people who have infections, fever, sore throats, diarrhea, skin problems, rashes, minor cuts and lacerations, shortness of breath, chest paints, back pains, headaches or are in need of physicals. Costs are comparable with other physician appointments, and the center accepts most insurances. Special rates are available for those who do not have insurance, Atallah said.

The center is at 543 Main St., Suite 211, just north of University Drive on the west side of Main Street.

“It’s incredible,” said Nik Banda, Rochester's deputy city manager, who toured the facility. “It’s clean and bright and friendly and accessible. It’s within immediate proximity to the next level of services that might be needed by someone who came in for urgent care.”

Atallah has practiced cardiology in the Rochester area for 35 years. Originally from Lebanon, he came to the United States in 1971. He completed his internship at Receiving Hospital in Detroit Medical Center and his residency and fellowship in cardiology at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.

He and his wife, Ruthmarie Shea Atallah, have one adult son.

Urgent Care RMC is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call 248-402-0250 or visit www.rochestermedicalcenter.com.