Planned Parenthood Offers New Hours, Walk-In Clinics to Meet Patient Demand

ALBANY, NY (05/07/2007)(readMedia)-- Beginning this week, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood in Albany will open later and remain open longer on Saturdays. Specifically, the Planned Parenthood at 259 Lark Street in Albany will be open every Saturday from 9:00am until 3:00pm. Also beginning this week, UHPP's health centers in Latham and Hudson will be open on fewer days but for longer hours, with a new policy at these part-time centers of always welcoming walk-in patients.

The UHPP Latham health center located on Rt 155 will be open two days each week: on Tuesdays from 8:00am to 6:30pm and on Fridays from 8:00am to 5:00pm. The UHPP Hudson health center at 190 Fairview Avenue will be open three days each week: on Mondays, from 9:30am to 8:00pm and on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:00am to 6:30pm. Teen Clinic - when teens who come for services can wait to be seen in a separate "teen friendly" waiting area stocked with snacks and educational information - will still be held at the Hudson health center on Thursday afternoons from 2:30 - 6:00pm.

"Our new schedules are the result of research we have done over the last few months," explained Patricia McGeown, UHPP President/CEO. "We have been tracking our patient flow and talking with both staff and patients about how to better respond to patient desires. Our patients want to be able to stop by to pick up birth control pills on the way to or from work. They want to be able to get in for urgent visits to have infection checks or pregnancy tests and to see, as often as possible, the same clinician. Staff have been exceptionally cooperative in thinking creatively and adopting schedules. We are all excited about the new schedule and believe we have come up with an approach that will meet the needs of not only our current patients, but any potential patients who would like to come to UHPP for their health care needs."

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood offers a wide variety of reproductive health care services including birth control information and supplies, GYN exams including preventing screenings, Pap tests for cervical cancer screening, pregnancy testing and options counseling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, HIV testing and counseling, surgical and non-surgical abortions and referrals for prenatal and adoption services. Medicaid patients are welcomed and most credit cards are accepted. Those with no insurance have fees based on a sliding fee scaled, based on income. UHPP staff are trained and able to help those who qualify to enroll in state health plans that help cover family planning services. Over 10,000 patients come to UHPP's four health centers each year. The agency also provides educational programming and advocacy services. More information can be obtained at www.uhpp.org.

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