Featured Business
Cornell Urgent Care

By Virginia Bruce

Dr. Sejung “Scott” Shin, like many other entrepreneurs, got tired of working for others and saw a need that he could fill. Since receiving his medical degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1990 and completing an emergency medicine residency at Wayne State University, he had successfully practiced emergency medicine for over 15 years and was always committed to providing high-quality medical care. He realized that there was no urgent care facility in this area, and that the nearest facilities were overcrowded. Dr. Shin wanted to provide convenient access to quality medical care. And his wife, Kitty, is an experienced business manager. So he opened Cornell Urgent Care, an alternative choice for expeditious and compassionate healthcare in the Cedar Mill area.

Dr. Shin reviews a patient x-ray. The clinic utilizes the latest in digital technology for storing and retrieving patient records

Both Kitty and Sejung were born in Korea, and their families immigrated to the Los Angeles area when they were young. Sejung and Kitty were high-school sweethearts, and they finally married when Sejung was in his second year of medical school in Chicago. As is common in the field of emergency medicine, Dr. Shin worked in several different hospitals during his career. He first came to Oregon in 1999 to work at the Tuality Community Hospital for a year. He then worked in Spokane for the next five years. In 2006, he returned to Oregon to work at Mercy Hospital in Roseburg.

 In 1999, the family had moved into a home in Forest Heights, where they live now with their two children, ages 15 and 16, who attend Lincoln High. He became familiar with Cedar Mill, and realized that there was a need for an urgent care facility in the area. When he found the new building on Cornell, he decided it was the perfect spot for the new practice, with good visibility, easy access from the local area and an unfinished interior that could be custom-built from the inside to support the equipment needed for a clinic.

CMA Amii test a patient sample in the lab area

The bright, open space of the clinic includes a reception area, Dr. Shin’s office, a break room for employees, and five private exam rooms. There’s also a fully equipped x-ray room with a hospital-size x-ray machine that outputs digital images, making it easy to send x-rays to other doctors or hospitals.

In the small lab they can perform basic tests such as pregnancy tests, strep, or mono. They can send samples to other labs for more specialized procedures. There is an IV station for patients who have become dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea and need fluids. They can also administer IV sedation for the temporary pain involved in dislocated joints and other procedures, and IV antibiotics for acute infections.

Three Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) help with patient care and also do lab work and reception duties. Leticia is fluent in Spanish,  Vita speaks Russian and Ukrainian, and of course the Shin’s speak Korean, so it’s a multi-lingual office! Amii is the third CMA.

Dr. Shin says that the best reason to come into Cornell Urgent Care is to spare yourself the expense and long wait time of a hospital emergency room. Dr. Shin and the staff are caring and friendly. Any kind of urgent medical condition that isn’t life-threatening can be quickly handled. Some of the most common conditions that he sees are sore throat and other flu symptoms, bronchitis, sinus infection, lacerations (cuts), sprains, and fractures. He is also an expert at repairing facial lacerations, which is something that other nearby urgent care facilities usually will not handle. He says that about 80% of the cases that are seen at an emergency room can be handled at this clinic.

Patients suffering from life-threatening conditions can be stabilized at the clinic, but are sent on to an emergency room for treatment. Patients with chronic conditions (long-term illnesses requiring multiple visits or long-term treatment) are referred to local doctors or specialists.

The patient entrance is off the rear parking lot

The clinic also offers a variety of vaccinations, and screenings and physicals for school and employment-related purposes. Worker’s Comp injury patients are welcome for treatment, management, and return-to-work exams.

In addition to urgent care, Dr. Shin offers a medication-assisted weight-loss program called “Freedom of Choice.” This program helps the patient to choose a diet plan that they prefer, as long as it’s healthy, and then supports them through the initial period of adjusting to new eating habits and lifestyle changes with medications that curb appetite and reduce cravings. After the initial appointment, patients can just “walk in” to pick up medications and have their health and progress monitored.

The office accepts most insurance plans, including Medicare and state-funded insurance programs. About 20% of their patients are uninsured, self-pay cash customers, and Dr. Shin offers a discount for these patients.

Visit the Cornell Urgent Care website, cornellurgentcare.com, to learn more about the services offered by this very welcome addition to our community. The clinic is open from 8 am to 8 pm weekdays and from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays. Call them at 503-646-8500 for more information or to schedule an exam, or just walk in when you need their services!

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