One of the first urgent care clinics specialized for children in South Carolina is celebrating one year in business in North Augusta.
NiteOwl Pediatric Urgent Care on Edgefield Road saw nearly 4,000 kids in its first year, according to owner Carlee Leopard, one of the first nurse practitioners in the state to open her own pediatric office.
The business owner said she opened NiteOwl, which has a provider on-call 24 hours a day, due to the gap in after-hours pediatric care. Her business is staffed by three board-certified pediatric nurse practitioners who treat newborns through age 21.
“I am constantly trying to educate our community about the differences in the prompt care that’s on every corner and an urgent care that is just for kids,” she said. “If your child is sick, it is very important to get care from someone who knows pediatric illnesses, including the most common colds to the scary diagnoses too.”
Leopard says she hopes NiteOwl helps reduce the burden on pediatricians in the area. After each visit, her office sends the patient’s records to their pediatrician within 24 hours, she said.
Pediatricians experienced an especially tough 2022 due to the deluge of R.S.V. cases late in the year. At least 60% of pediatricians report experiencing at least one dimension of burnout, according to a recent survey from consulting firm McKinsey.
Urgent care centers help treat patients who need immediate attention for medical issues like burns, allergies, ear infections, rashes, RSV and respiratory illnesses, while emergency rooms are more for patients suffering from life-threatening conditions.
“I miss out on some evenings with my own kids to be here when the kids of the CSRA need me most, but I know that it is worth it,” Leopard said. “I can’t wait to see what God does with me and NiteOwl over the next year.”
