A rapidly expanding network of medical clinics has set its sights on Red Deer.
Oasis Medical Centre plans to open a clinic in the city early next year. It currently operates at three locations in Calgary, two in Airdrie and one in Chestermere.
Dr. Eugene Magerman, a Calgary physician and founding partner of Oasis, said the Red Deer clinic will open with at least five doctors. That number could be higher, he added, or increase over time.
“They’re primarily Red Deer physicians,” said Magerman, who did not want to identify the doctors at this time.
Red Deer’s Oasis clinic will be located in Skyway Professional Centre, which is currently being constructed north of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, at 5156 43rd St. The clinic will focus on family medicine and treat patients on a walk-in basis as well as through appointments, said Magerman.
Weekday operating hours will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the clinic also open on Saturdays.
Owned and operated by physicians, the Oasis Medical Centre network was created 18 months ago. In addition to its six existing clinics, three more are expected to open in Calgary within the next six months and two are planned for British Columbia next spring, said Magerman.
“At this point, we are aiming at between 15 and 20 clinics within three years,” he said, adding that expansion into other provinces is likely.
One of the reasons for Oasis Medical Centre’s success is the aesthetic appeal of its clinics, said Magerman.
He pointed to design features like high-grade finishing and attractive artwork.
“When you come into our clinic, it looks almost like a hotel lobby. It’s got a very comfortable feel to it.”
Oasis clinics are proving popular with doctors as well, said Magerman, with much of their growth fueled by medical professionals wanting to practise in them.
Red Deer’s rapid growth makes it an appealing location for a clinic, he said, with the city’s northerly latitude also a motivator for Oasis.
“Red Deer is a start towards Edmonton, to tell you the truth.”
The local medical community is in a state of transition, with Horizon Family Medicine opening in Real Canadian Superstore with a half-dozen doctors in April.
Then in May it was announced that The Parsons Clinic would be closing on June 30, 2012, and another clinic with up to eight doctors opening at the same time at 32nd Street Crossing — a commercial building under construction at 4758 32nd St.
Red Deer’s orthopedic surgeons are also on the move, with all eight planing to operate together in Skyway Professional Centre as Central Alberta Orthopedics. The Central Alberta Hip and Knee Clinic is also expected to relocate there.
Other confirmed tenants for Skyway Professional Centre include a podiatrist, and CBI Health Group, which provides physiotherapy, chiropractic and kinesiology services, and already operates three clinics in Red Deer.
Sherry White, project manager for developer Skyway Professional Centre Ltd., said she’s negotiating with a number of other prospective tenants for the 45,000-square-foot building.
Skyway Professional Centre Ltd. also owns the lot north of its current project, and has indicated that it will develop this area for medical-professional uses in the future.
Additional information about Skyway Professional Centre can be found online at www.skywayprofessional.com.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com