Soon, Lawrence Countians will not have to drive across the river to receive urgent medical care, 50 Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital employees will work at the Ironton City Center and a panel will be created to study the former River Valley Hospital building.

During a press conference today, Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital announced

details for its new urgent care center, the hospital's plans to move 50 administrative positions to the Ironton City Center and the creation of a panel to study the best way to utilize the hospital building Bellefonte purchased last year.

Because much of the required equipment is already in place, a 3,500 square foot urgent care center will be opened in Bellefonte's diagnostic imaging facility in the Ironton Hills Shopping Center, at the intersection of U.S. 52 and State Route 93, said Michael Stautberg, vice president of external affairs for the Russell, Ky. hospital.

"We continue to be pleased to expand our services into the Ironton community and Lawrence County," he said. "We are pleased to bring the urgent care service to fruition, and believe this site will provide the best access for this service to the entire region."

Scheduled to open by the end of summer, the urgent care center will create 15 new jobs, bringing the total to approximately 35 employees, and will be staffed by more than one physician, he said.

Initially, the center will be open 10 hours a day, seven days a week. Exact business hours have not been determined and may be expanded, if necessary, Stautberg said.

Urgent care includes treating bone fractures, sprains, athletic injuries, stitches, infections, pneumonia, sore throats and more, he said.

Stautberg said plans for an urgent care center began even before the hospital purchased the former RVHS building at 2228 S. Ninth St. last year for $5.8 million. Once problems with the boiler and the rest of the building were found, it was determined putting the urgent care elsewhere was the best course of action.

The hospital has come under fire recently from the Lawrence County Commissioners for not making clear its plans for the building. A committee of 35 to 40 business, education and community leaders will study the building to determine the best way to use it. Ironton business owner Dan Bentley will chair the committee.

"We want to make sure the most important needs are fulfilled," Robert J. Maher, CEO of OLBH said. "We are not limiting ourselves to health care."

The 50 administrative and office positions are mostly filled at this time, but future vacancies will be filled from the Ironton area. The move should be completed by the end of 2003, Maher said.

Mayor Bob Cleary said the city has been working with the hospital for several months to be able to make these announcements.

"We are real excited because this will be good news for the community, Ironton and the downtown area," he said. "With all the downturn in the economy, it is a real plus for our community that we can make this positive announcement of new jobs."