Since opening its doors in September, Porter Physician Group’s Primary Care office and CareEXPRESS Urgent Care have seen a steady stream of patients, day in and day out. On Thursday, the Hobart Chamber of Commerce, City of Hobart officials, and Porter Health Care System professionals gathered to take part in a Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially commemorate the office’s introduction to the community.
Joined by Chamber Director Lisa Winstead, Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor, and Sean Dardeau, CEO of Porter Health Care System, attendees enjoyed a tour and a complimentary breakfast after the ribbon was cut.
“Up until now, there’s been nothing in the way of urgent care on this side of Hobart,” Snedecor said. “It’s really nice to have Porter’s presence here in Hobart, and it’s especially appreciated in this area.”
Located at 7890 East Ridge Road, the primary care office is led by Porter Physician Group’s Michelle DiConstanzo, M.D. A Munster native who completed her residency in June at Northeast Iowa Medical Education Foundation, DiConstanzo is thrilled to be serving the region where she was raised.
“It’s definitely fulfilling, I’m really happy to be back in this area,” she said. “Northwest Indiana is home for me, so to be able to care for patients in this community means everything.”
Just 9.9 miles away from Porter Regional Hospital itself—about a 15-minute drive down Route 6—Hobart CareEXPRESS fits nicely into Porter Regional’s pipeline of care.
“This is a $650,000 investment that falls right in line with our network of patients,” Dardeau said. “We are filling a need in this community and we are already seeing that investment pay off.”
Hobart CareEXPRESS offers walk-in urgent care for illnesses, injuries, physicals, and more. On-site services like lab and X-ray make the office a one-stop shop. No appointment is necessary for walk-ins, but patients can conveniently save their place in line and bypass any potential waiting by scheduling online ahead of time.
“This is great, because, especially during this time of year, people don’t want to go to an emergency room or a typical doctor’s visit because you may have to wait for long periods of time. Or, you have a flu bug that doesn’t warrant an expensive trip to the ER but you need relief fast,” Snedecor said. “We’ve needed an office like this here.”
Hobart City Council District 2 member Josh Huddlestun already found himself and his family in need of the facility’s urgent care services this winter, rushing to Hobart CareEXPRESS when his child contracted pneumonia. He was relieved the location was available, to say the least.
“This is a really underserved area, and it’s a great opportunity for Hobart residents and Porter alike,” Huddlestun said. “I was happy to have them here when I needed them.”
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit https://www.porterhealth.com/.
