The ReadyCare program at the Falcon Health Center allows students and community members access to health care when it normally wouldn’t be available.

ReadyCare, a program offered by the Wood County Hospital, was started several years ago in order to provide members of the Bowling Green community with the kind of treatment that they’d receive at a doctor’s office when no doctor’s office would be open, such as in the evening or on weekends.

ReadyCare has spent most of its life on Main Street last May, the program moved to the newly constructed Falcon Health Center.

“It offers people a place to go when their doctor’s office would be closed,” said Catharine Harned, director of marketing and business development at Wood County Hospital. “We’ve kept the program going because there is a need for it in the community.”

The service is able to treat just about anything that a regular doctor’s office is able to treat.

“[ReadyCare] is designed for treatment of after-hours injuries that don’t require a visit to the emergency room,” Harned said. “That would be anything like chest congestion, colds, a sore throat, rashes or others.”

Treatment at ReadyCare is entirely first come, first served. There is no need to make appointments and anyone can walk in and

get help.

Kimberly Welsh, the administrative director of the Falcon Health Center, said the service typically has one to two providers, doctors or nurse practitioners and two to four clinical support staff on any given day.

ReadyCare also provides services which might otherwise have to be done at a hospital, such as lab draws or X-Rays, Welsh said.

The advantage of this program over going to the emergency room for these conditions is the cost, Harned said.

“If you go to an emergency room, more testing is done, all of which costs money,” she said.

With ReadyCare, the cost is comparable to a doctor’s office visit, she said

“The Main St. location was just a storefront property. It didn’t have the capability of offering any expanded services such as a pharmacy. It was a natural transition to move to the Falcon Health Center since it was designed specifically for that purpose,” Harned said.

Since the transition, ReadyCare services have seen a 59 percent increase in usage, she said.

ReadyCare medical services are available from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Falcon Health Center during the week and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends. Lab services, x-rays and pharmacy services are only available during the week.