Harrison Urgent Care will change its name in August to Harrison Clinic at South Kitsap. The name change will reflect the center’s expanded medical services.

For 10 years, Harrison Urgent Care has treated acute illnesses and injuries. Now, the clinic offers follow-up care for patients who don’t have a physician.

“We’ll still see patients as we always have been in the past,” said Gene Burwell, primary care clinic manager. “We’ll be happy to see patients for acute and immediate needs.”

Walk-ins will still be offered but most patients will be seen by appointment. The clinic will change hours of operation starting in August to accommodate the needs of working families. Currently, the clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, and the new hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. every day. Appointments will be available for any day of the week, with the goal to schedule most patients for same-day or next-day visits.

The added primary care services include well child, immunizations, sports physicals, annual exams and services, but no obstetrics. A new family practice physician will be hired by mid-summer, and could be selected as the primary care provider on many insurance plans. A family practice nurse practitioner will also be added to the staff while the current nurse will offer women’s health care in addition to urgent care. Burwell said if the schedules fill up quickly, the clinic, owned and operated by Harrison Hospital, will hire more physicians in the future.

“A lot of people were concerned about the change, but we are trying to expand our services to the community,” he said. “The big need has been for patients who want to come back for follow-up care. It’s a primary need we want to fill so we don’t have to tell patients they have to find a physician for follow-ups.”.