Summit Express Urgent Care
While driving down U.S. 31 one day, Dr. Nicol Pettway glanced up at the Vestridge Commons shopping center. She immediately envisioned a spot for her medical practice.
“I was very excited when the spot became available,” Pettway said.
Pettway opened Summit Express Urgent Care in Vestridge Commons on May 19. Pettway, a Vestavia Hills resident, describes her practice as a one-stop shop for minor injuries and procedures and a place intended for patients who need attention that does not warrant an emergency room visit.
In-house lab services include flu, strep and mono screens, blood counts, cholesterol screens, pregnancy tests and more. In-house minor surgical procedures include foreign body removals, knee and elbow joint aspirations, ingrown toenail treatment, small joint reductions and more.
Additionally, school and sports physicals and digital X-rays are performed on-site. Pettway said that on the first day of school for Vestavia Hills City Schools, their office was extremely busy. The 48,000 square feet location contains eight exam rooms and a spacious waiting room and children’s play area.
The practice is open seven days a week. While the office does accept walk-ins only, people can register early using ZipPass, an online registration system.
Pettway has practiced emergency medicine for more than 15 years and urgent care for three years. She earned a degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard University and received her doctorate of medicine from the UAB School of Medicine. She became board certified in internal medicine after completing a residency at Baptist Health Systems in 1997. Her certifications include advanced cardiac life support, advanced trauma life support and pediatric advanced life support.
She believes she can offer accurate referral judgment to her patients because of her wealth of medical experience.
“My background in emergency medicine qualifies me to make the decision whether we need to refer you to the hospital or not,” Pettway said.
Summit Express regularly shares health and wellness articles on their Facebook page to educate the community on a variety of issues. Topics include tips to lower cholesterol, flu prevention, Medicare, information on vaccinations and more.
Pettway hopes to continue to serve the Vestavia Hills community for a long time to come.
“As a doctor, I really just enjoy helping people,” Pettway said.
Tips for preventing the flu
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Practice good health habits. Get plenty of sleep and exercise, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat healthy food.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine.