MEMPHIS, Tenn — On Thursday, July 27, Baptist Medical Group announced it will be closing three of its minor medical centers on October 22.
Baptist Medical Group, one of the largest integrated, not-for-profit medical group practices in the Mid-South, will "shift resources to its dual clinics that offer primary care and urgent care in one location." According to Baptist Medical Group, it will be closing three centers in Bartlett, Olive Branch and East Memphis.
“We introduced minor medical centers to the Memphis area in 1985,” said Dr. Mark Swanson, CEO of Baptist Medical Group. “Since starting these clinics, we have opened several hybrid clinics that allow us to provide both urgent care and primary care in one location, which means we can meet the immediate and long-term health needs of our community in one stop.”
Baptist Medical Group has four minor medical centers in the Memphis area, five hybrid primary care/urgent care clinics and 12 primary clinics throughout Shelby and DeSoto counties. There are several Baptist Medical Group clinics within a five-mile radius of the three minor medical centers that will close.
Swanson said Baptist Medical Group plans to open more walk-in/urgent care facilities this year "to fully replace all volume seen" in the minor medical centers.
“As health care and medical technology evolve and patients’ expectations change, the way we deliver care has to change," Swanson said. "Patients will not lose any access to Baptist with the transition of our minor medical centers."
Swanson said Baptist Medical Group plans to work with employees of the three medical centers, helping them transition to comparable positions at other BMG or Baptist Memorial Health Care locations in the Mid-South.
“We are grateful for our minor medical center employees and their loyalty and steadfastness during the past few challenging years,” said Swanson. “It is our hope that they’ll choose to stay with Baptist and take positions at other locations."