Locally-owned walk-in urgent care to become Gay Street’s only clinic

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The only walk-in primary care clinic in Downtown Knoxville shut down last year, which created a gap in access to health care in that area.

Covenant Medical Group Convenient Walk-In Clinic closed its Gay Street location in December, according to a spokesperson.

“With limited space and patient volumes, the clinic primarily served walk-in patients. Covenant Health pursued other rental space in the building, but renovation/expansion was not a feasible option,” Lauren Miller, chief executive officer with Moxley Carmichael, said.

The closure left behind a need Campbell County Family Nurse Practitioner Sandra Bond told WVLT News she was invited to fulfill. Bond owns and operates Valley Medical in Jacksboro and plans to move into Covenant Medical Group’s old suite in the Phoenix Building in the spring.

“When God opens doors, it’s things that you often can’t even see for yourself,” said Bond. “We have the lowest self-pay price in the area of $65, and we have contracted with some of the major lab companies to offer routine labs for $35.”

As a privately owned urgent care, she’ll be able to offer more available hours and services like telehealth and episodic treatments on two levels in the building. The care center is expected to become a one-stop shop for any patient, including being able to walk next door to The Phoenix Pharmacy and Fountain.

“If they (patients) wanted to use us they could be seen and have a prescription in hand and out the door, probably less than an hour. And that’s a pretty unique offering,” Dr. Caleb Selby, pharmacy manager, said.

The center is expected to take its first patient May 1.

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