Urology healthcare will soon be available locally to patients in Valley County.
Cascade Medical Center recently announced a partnership with urology specialists in the Treasure Valley who will see patients a few days each month in Cascade starting Aug. 15.
Services offered include prostate health exams, family planning, general men’s health consultation, cancer screening, and treatment for urinary tract infections and kidney stones, among other ailments.
“Like with many conditions, urological issues crop up as we age, and given the demographics of our community, urology is in high demand,” CMC Ceo Tom Reinhardt said. “By offering these services locally, our patients can avoid a two-hour drive to Boise—which is both a safety and financial concern for many.”
Meanwhile, St. Luke’s McCall is set to host Michael Morris of the St. Luke’s Urologic Clinic in Nampa once per month at the Payette Lakes Medicine Clinic starting Sept. 18, said Laura Crawford, a spokesperson for the hospital.
“Dr. Morris will offer general urology services. He will be able to perform in clinic procedures,” Crawford said. “In the future we hope to expand services that require surgery in the hospital.
The Urology Clinic partnership
Cascade Medical Center will rent space to board-certified urologists Michael Taylor and Robert Jackson of The Urology Clinic, a practice based in Meridian.
“They will start with a day or two per month and then adjust as demand changes,” Reinhardt said.
Appointments can be scheduled with Taylor or Jackson by calling 208-782-6730.
In addition to the hospital at 402 Lake Cascade Parkway, CMC operates the Donnelly Urgent Care Clinic. Urology patients, however, will only be seen in Cascade.
It is not new for CMC to rent space for out-of-area specialists to use a few days each month for local appointments. The hospital has similar arrangements for cardiology and orthopedics, with more potential agreements in the works, Reinhardt said.
Hospital space rented to visiting specialists is provided mostly from former inpatient care rooms. Last year, hospital trustees approved a move to become a “Rural Emergency Hospital,” which meant cutting inpatient care from its service offerings.
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In exchange, the hospital is set to receive between $500,000 and $1.3 million per year in federal funding earmarked for supporting rural hospitals.
