Recently, ExperCARE founder and CEO, Catherine Grant, set aside some time to meet with Savannah Morning New’s Adam Van Brimmer to discuss COVID-19, vaccines, testing and more! Tune in to “The Commute” or read the transcription here!

The following is an excerpt from a “The Commute” podcast interview with ExperCare CEO Catherine C. Grant. ExperCare is a Savannah-area medical urgent care provider.. Comments have been condensed in the interest of space. Full episodes are available at SavannahNow.com/podcasts or through mobile device podcast apps by searching “The Commute with @SavannahOpinion”.

Question: The COVID-19 news is coming fast and furious these days. The Pfizer vaccine has been fully approved by the FDA, and at the same time the delta variant is causing a surge in cases and hospitalizations. When somebody asks you, ‘You’re in the health care field, what do I really need to know right now?’ what do you tell them?

Catherine Grant: “The hardest thing about it is we’re all hearing a lot of different statistics and a lot of things that are being presented as evidence. So it’s hard to know what to believe and how it applies to you. We’ve been working through this pandemic since March of last year and been involved in everything from testing to vaccinating to treating patients. We share the unanimous position of area health care providers that what we’re experiencing right now is unlike what we have seen prior. The demand for health care and for testing is exceeding the capacity of our health care system right now, whether its at point-of-care places such as urgent cares or primary care offices or pediatricians offices or hospitals. So the most important thing we can focus on is what we can do right now to mitigate the spread of this illness that’s burdening the health care system. We need to do everything we can to slow it down a bit and allow the health care system to catch up.”

Q: Your urgent care centers have been working with the state since the start in performing COVID-19 testing, and of all the disturbing stats we’ve seen lately, the percentage of positive tests is one of the most telling. What’s going on there?

CG: “We’re definitely seeing an exponential increase in the demand for testing. We track our data very carefully, and as of the middle of July, we were seeing positivity rates that were very low, below 5%. Since then the rate has climbed, and for the first three weeks of August, it’s been over 20%, sometimes even getting as high as 25%. That means our community transmission is high, and people are infecting others whether they know it or not.”

Q: Let’s take this opportunity to talk a little bit about the testing. There’s a lot of myths or exaggerations about the COVID-19 tests and about how effective they are, how accurate they are. What do people need to know about these COVID tests and their accuracy?

CG: “First, tests are just tools that help us in making decisions. So there are different types of testing: Rapid antigen testing and PCR testing. Rapid testing can mean a whole lot of different things but most people think of it in terms of getting an answer quickly. PCR testing, on the other hand, is typically performed in a lab but there are some point-of-care providers who can do PCR testing as well. Rapid antigen testing is very, very reliable, especially when you already have symptoms, and PCR testing is very reliable when the specimen is taken properly and you make sure you have a piece of that viral matter.

“The big takeaway is like anything else, a COVID test is not 100% and should be taken in context of everything else that’s going on. For example, if you develop a fever and a cough and you’ve recently had a negative test, remember that test is just a snapshot in time. You may need another COVID test. You may need a flu test. You may need to be checked for some other illness entirely. Testing is helping us in terms of making clinical decisions and helping us identify people who, whether they have symptoms or not, could potentially be spreading the virus.”

Link to Video:

https://www.savannahnow.com/videos/opinion/2021/08/26/covid-19-testing-what-know-chatham-bryan-effingham-georgia/5605047001/

Link to Transcription:

https://www.savannahnow.com/story/opinion/2021/09/02/covid-19-delta-variant-swamping-health-care-system-patients-seek-testing-treatment-vaccine-pfizer/5686318001/?fbclid=IwAR3xWf-cAKil1FDQJB1GunT786l_B90acFTK0_5k2KiftXfLdj3Mb-Dn7gc

Link to Audio:

https://omny.fm/shows/from-the-newsroom-savannah-now/the-commute-august-26-catherine-c-grant-on-what-yo

ExperCARE is proud to have recently donated over 3,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to area churches ahead of their holiday services.

They say their primary concern is their patient’s health and wellbeing. “2020 has been a year of challenge and change for every business, family and person,” said ExperCARE CEO and founder Catherine Grant. “ExperCARE is grateful for the patients who choose us as their first choice for on demand healthcare. We want everyone to do their part to keep safe during the holidays and we’re happy to help in this small way.”

In an effort to spread holiday cheer and promote hand hygiene, ExperCARE is thankful for the opportunity to deliver hand-held hand sanitizers to 25 different churches in the Savannah and Richmond Hill area.

What could be more immediate than your health? What could be a more pressing and time-sensitive issue? And yet, for decades the health industry expected patients to wait for hours in an emergency room or for weeks to make an appointment with their regular provider.

We saw this dilemma on the faces of my friends and family members who turned to us for help with their medical issues because they had nowhere else to go. It’s what inspired us to find a solution by opening our first urgent care location in June of 2009. The concept was simple, and effective. Quality, on-demand healthcare. No appointment necessary. No long waits. You can use your insurance, or pay affordable cash rates. But above all, access to quality healthcare you can trust, before a small problem festers and becomes a bigger one.

Nearly 12 years later, ExperCARE’s continuous expansion and growth supports the concept of  on-demand healthcare filling a much needed void in our healthcare system and in our communities. In a country that has same-day delivery for goods and services and instant delivery of entertainment, why should we wait three weeks, and sometimes three months(!!) to address a medical concern?

And yet, around the country, many people continue to wait because they don’t have access to the type of on-demand, high-quality healthcare that ExperCARE provides. According to a Merritt Hawkins study in 2017, a survey conducted in 15 major cities and 15 mid-sized markets of the United States, on average, it takes 24 days for new patients to get an appointment with a physician. That wait is even longer in Savannah, which averages 35 days. The study found that even cities with the highest doctor-to-patient ratios had long wait times.

Patients seek on-demand healthcare because of their busy schedules and the unpredictable nature of illnesses and injuries. Many can’t afford to take time off work to see a doctor or don’t want to cash in their hard-earned vacation time to sit in a waiting room.  This is one reason why our customers and their families love that we are open seven days a week, extended hours. In addition, our facilities are also open throughout the workweek to maximize availability when it is most convenient!

Did you know that at ExperCARE, we also partner with and support employers with their occupational health programs by offering a full-range of services such as drug and alcohol testing, physicals, PFT’s, audiometry, immunizations and experienced workers compensation injury evaluation and management. We understand how to serve both the employer and the employee while treating the injury appropriately and efficiently, minimizing the need for lost time, OSHA recordability, and unnecessary work restrictions.

ExperCARE’s most recent expansion and continued growth is proof that this model is benefitting not only patients and their families but also employers, providers and insurers by decreasing crowding in Emergency Departments and offering an effective alternative to healthcare access.

The fact that all major insurers have embraced our delivery model is just another example of how ExperCARE’s model of on-demand access to healthcare is also benefiting the insurance industry. The consumer-driven business model saves insurers money because people are more likely to seek non-emergent medical attention in an appropriate setting such as an urgent care versus an Emergency Room, if it’s accessible, convenient and affordable. Early detection and treatment could head off a more serious illness that might result in more expensive hospitalization or emergency care.

ExperCARE’s access to healthcare model is the wave of the future. Stop by and see Why!

Transcript of Video

We’ve been delivering care since June 1 of 2009 in Richmond Hill. I had moved to Richmond Hill not too long before that. At the time I was seeing friends and family members in my kitchen sometimes because there was nowhere to go.

There’s such a need for on-demand medical care. This whole idea of retail medicine and on-demand health care when you need it that’s not a compromise was an industry that was being born again and so I think the complement of being in this community that had a need with an industry that was on it’s way up was really an exciting time.

So, June 1, 2009 we opened our doors in Richmond Hill. And the second location is next to Dick’s Sporting Goods in Savannah right on Mall Boulevard. And our third and newest location downtown on Abercorn. It is so exciting. Who knows where we’re going to go next? Stay tuned.

As the new year comes around so too do the resolutions, “the new year, new me” mentality, and folks flooding in to get gym memberships. Now that a were are well into the new year of 2020, many of us realize it’s not so simple to stick to those life altering changes.

So how can we integrate healthy habits into our daily lives so that they are sustainable? At ExperCARE, we like to stress playing for the long game. When we try to change everything all at once it doesn’t always work… but making small shifts are easier to maintain long term. Here are five habits to add to your lifestyle:

  • Add a Walk to Your Daily Routine

Your brain needs a break at work, take twenty minutes and go on a walk. Ask a friend or colleague to join you, it’ll give you time to socialize AND exercise. By doing this, you’ll notice an increase in energy levels throughout the work day.

  • Try to Multi-Task

We all have those points in the workday where we feel as though we could be doing something else more productive, right? You should try to double task! Return someone’s phone call while going on a walk. Do some reps (crunches, curls, pushups) while you’re on a conference call. Listen to a book or podcast designed to help you grow while commuting to and from work or school.

  • Cook double

Less is not more in this situation. Make an effort to cook double batches of your dinner. Especially on the weekends, strive to cook extra, freeze it and use it for dinner or lunch when you’re in a rush! There’s a healthy meal right at your fingertips!

  • Pack Your Lunch the Night Before

Let’s face it! It’s so much easier to run out and go through the drive through on your lunch break. But… it’s so much healthier to pack a lunch from home. Each night, take 10 minutes to put leftovers in a container or bag some carrots, fresh fruit and a sandwich for the next day. Pro tip: leave a sticky note on the door out of your house, to remind yourself to grab your lunch on your rush out the door in the morning.

  • Drink Lots of Water

Make it a part of your day! When you feel fatigued, it’s often times because you are dehydrated. Grab a big bottle of water at the beginning of every day, have it sitting in your line of vision throughout the day and make a conscious effort to drink, drink, drink. Set alerts on your phone every couple of hours as a reminder. It’s great for your skin, digestive and circulatory systems, and helps . Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

If this still seems overwhelming, think even smaller… Start by doing just one of these new healthy habits each week. Focus on your achievements, not your setbacks.  Celebrate your successes.  This will help create momentum and increase your chances of sustained success.  You’ve got this!

5 tips to keep you healthy during the holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! During the holiday season, we cherish time with our family and friends, eat lots of yummy food, and get some time to unwind and relax. It is certainly merry and bright, but sometimes it isn’t quite so jolly for our waistline or our health in general. ExperCARE has compiled a few reminders to help keep you healthy and safe over the holidays!

 

  • Eat mindfully

 

We all want to dig into Mom’s homemade mashed potatoes and Grandma’s famous apple pie! And we certainly should. But the holidays are all about moderation and balance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests limiting your portion sizes and foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. Try to substitute that not so healthy food for a fruit or veggie. Also don’t forget to give your tummy time to digest before going back for seconds!

 

  • Wash your hands 

 

Germs, germs, and more germs! We are traveling, snuggling  up together, and out of our regular routine all during flu season. Be sure to keep your hands clean to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. This is your friendly reminder to wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (if not, use your elbow but not your hands). This helps keep yourself and those around you healthy.

 

  • Get your flu shot

 

Unfortunately, flu season is in full swing this time of year… But don’t let the bug dampen your holiday cheer. Plan to get your flu shot before the Christmas chaos begins. No one wants to spend their Christmas at ExperCARE or on the couch with a fever. Vaccinations help prevent diseases and save lives. The CDC suggests everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year. ExperCARE has the flu vaccine at both locations.

 

  • Stay active by changing up your holiday workout

 

‘Tis the season to pack our social calendars with Christmas activities and parties, eating and drinking festive foods, shopping until we drop, and spending time with family and friends. If you notice the schedule isn’t necessarily centered around daily exercise. But in order to stay motivated, you should set goals for yourself and be sure to add a few workouts onto your holiday checklist. The best idea is to reinvent what you would usually do. Plan to split you activity into smaller, more manageable workouts. Don’t stress over making it to the gym for an hour everyday. Instead, have your family go out for a 30 minute walk, use a workout app on your phone for 15 minutes, or play outdoor games with your family. 

 

  • Relax, manage stress 

 

As much as the holidays are about fitting everything into your schedule, they are also about taking time for yourself. Don’t let the holiday rush stress you out or take a toll on your mental or physical health. Do at least one thing everyday that makes YOU happy, whether it’s meditation, reading a good book, or watching a Christmas movie. 

Last but not least, ENJOY the most wonderful time of the year! ExperCARE wishes you and yours a cheerful, restful, and healthy holiday season! 

Trick or Treat! It’s almost time to bring out the spooky spirit in all of us. Halloween is right around the corner and ExperCARE wants to help you prepare! Here are some important safety reminders to keep you and your kids safe, and not spooked, during our favorite haunted holiday: 

Costume Check

Whether you decide to dress as Batman, a witch, or Cinderella… Let’s make sure you can see through your scary masks. We also want to be sure the cars driving by can see you. If you are wearing dark colors, parents consider putting reflective tape on both sides of their costume. Try to refrain from wearing overly baggy costumes, to avoid trips and falls on such a fun holiday night. It’s also a fun idea to wear a glow stick or carry a flashlight so you can see every spooky step you take. 

Trick-or-Treat Reminders 

We don’t like tricks, but we do love treats! As you go door to door on Halloween night, remember to avoid the houses without their lights on. When you find the ones with their lights on, stay on the porch… There’s no need to enter anyone’s home unless they are close family or friends. If you are under the age of 12, parents please accompany your little ones at night. If you are old enough to trick-or-treat on your own, remember to stay with your group and encourage everyone to stay on the sidewalk. 

Candy Concerns

The treats at the end of the night are one of the best parts of Halloween! When you get home after a fun night in costume, let the fun continue! Have your trick-or-treater dump out their candy,  spread it out in a pile on the floor, and take a look at everything they’ve brought back! Throw away anything that looks opened or tampered with. Also, make sure they haven’t picked up anything they might be allergic to. Homeowners, this is where you come in! Display a teal pumpkin on your porch to let trick-or-treaters know that you have non-food treats for those that have allergies.

Driver & Homeowner Cautions

If you are on the road on the evening of October 31st, proceed with caution. Drivers should eliminate any distractions, drive below the speed limit in residential areas, and  keep an eye out for kids crossing the street. If you live on/near a busy road, consider taking your trick-or-treater out before the sun goes down or to a neighborhood with less traffic. If you are lucky enough to stay home and see all the festive costumes come to your door, remember to clear your walkways, stairs and porches. Turn on as many outdoors lights as possible so trick or treaters can get to you with ease!

Last but not least, have fun! Share your Halloween photos with all of us at ExperCARE by going to our Facebook. We can’t wait to see all of our patients, family, and friends in their spookiest costume! Have an ExperSpecial Halloween!

How Walking Improves Your Overall Health

A walk a day keeps the doctor away! We know that’s not how the old saying goes, but walking is one of the best ways to improve and maintain your overall health. The temps are starting to drop (just a little), which means the gorgeous, crisp fall air is right around the corner. There’s no better time to take advantage of the great outdoors, than now. Physical activity doesn’t have to be rigorous or dreadful, it can be something you enjoy, such as walking! Consistency is key!

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say more than 145 million adults now include walking as part of their physical activity. Chances are, you had no idea there are as many health benefits to walking, as there are. Just 30 minutes a day is proven to increase your cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your bones and muscles, release tension, give you a better nights sleep, help with digestion, and boost your metabolism. And here is how: 

Improves Endurance

Each time you walk, you are building up your stamina and cardio strength. Even runners incorporate walking into their routine, to help increase their endurance. Walking may take longer, but it bestows the same endurance as running and also reduces the risk of injury. Every step you take makes your heart that much stronger. 

Strengthens Bones & Muscles

Weight-bearing physical activity, such as walking, causes new bone tissue to form, leading to stronger bones. In addition, your muscles will strengthen and your balance will improve each time you get out and get active. This helps reduce falls and fractures. 

Releases Stress

Walking gives your mind a boost and improves energy levels. Like all forms of cardiovascular exercise, a brisk walk will boost endorphins. This leads to a reduction in stress hormones, mental clarity, and alleviates mild depression.

Provides Better Nights Sleep

Getting out and walking will not only trim you down, but will also give you a better nights sleep. Physical activity will boost natural sleep hormones (such as melatonin), which will keep you up less often at night. Be careful, as exercising too close to the time you go to sleep might keep you up!

Helps with Digestion

Walking can help you digest your food and boost your metabolism. How does it do this? It aids in the breaking down of food and improves your blood sugar levels. Sometimes a short walk after a meal is a good thing.  


The CDC reports that adults need at least 2.5 hours a week of aerobic physical activity. This should be at a moderate level, such as a fast-paced walk for no less than 10 minutes at a time. The CDC also says less than half of all adults get that recommended amount of physical activity. 

The best thing about walking is that it doesn’t require any kind of equipment or training. It is very low impact, you can do it anytime and anywhere, and you set the pace. It is a great form of physical activity for truly anyone, any age, and mostly any condition.

Did you know that walkable communities result in more physically active populations, that’s according to the CDC. We are lucky to live in Coastal Georgia, where the communities we live in offer some of the best walking spots around. There are so many beautiful and historic sights, nature trails, and iconic parks in our backyard. Here is a short list of ExperCARE’s favorite spots to take a stroll:

Savannah

  • Forsyth Park
  • River Street
  • Historic Wormsloe Site
  • Bluff Drive
  • Lake Mayer
  • Skidaway Island State Park
  • Tybee Island Beach

Richmond Hill

  • J.F. Gregory Park 
  • Sterling Creek Park
  • Fort McAllister State Park
  • Green Creek Trail

Don’t forget! One of the best places to take a stroll is just out your front door – Your neighborhood! Making it easy, makes consistency more likely! Whether we decide to walk our dogs through our neighborhoods, go for a run at Forsyth Park, or get our history on walking through Fort McAllister State Park, getting physical is a must. No matter what you do, get out and get active.

5 Tips from ExperCARE

Ready or not… here it comes! A fun, hot summer has come to a close and it’s time for back to school. Back to school means early mornings, a daily routine, hours of classes, and a chance for kids to learn, grow, and become more independent. But school can also translate to a place of sneezing, sniffles, and sharing more than just your child’s summer memories. Here are five tips to help keep the back to school transition as healthy and germ-free as possible! 

  1. Get Plenty of Sleep: Sleep is even more important than you think. Setting a bedtime routine and a consistent sleep schedule helps improve your child’s physical and emotional health, and also plays an important role in how they perform in school. Children aged 6-13 are supposed to get 9-11 hours of sleep. But why? Between school, friends, chores, sports, after school activities, and homework… Their bodies and brains need a break. 
  2. Maintain a Healthy Diet & Drink Plenty of Fluids: A strong immune system helps ward off those illnesses floating around the school hallways. Breakfast, as you know, is the most important meal of the day… especially for our kids. A balanced breakfast jump starts their day and gives them the brain power and capability to maintain steady energy from the time they leavethe house in the morning to the time they get home. If you’re able, pack a healthy lunch for your child. Make it fun, colorful, and delicious so that they’ll enjoy the meal. After they hop off the school bus, prepare a nutritious after-school snack for them like fruits, veggies, string cheese, or protein.  Allow them to grocery shop with you, so they can help pick out these healthy snacks and lunches… It’ll make it more fun! It’s also important to have your child drink lots of water. Hydration is critical for proper immune system function. Drink early (starting first thing in the morning) and drink enough (according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a child of about 88 pounds should drink 5 ounces of cold water every 20 minutes). Don’t forget about hydrating before and after outdoor activities and sports.
  3. Be Up-to-date on Your Vaccinations: It can seem overwhelming as a parent, but vaccines are some of the safest and most effective medicines we have. The CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend a vaccination schedule that covers about 14 different diseases. Vaccinations not only protect your child from deadly diseases, but they also keep other children safe.
  4. Stay Active: Physical activity helps prevent and reduce health problems for our children. When kids are active, their bodies can do the things they want them to do. Teaching them these healthy, active habits at an early age helps lead to a lifetime of enjoying physical activity, especially as schedules get busier, demands are heightened at school, and sports become more competitive. Active lifestyles translate to a healthy weight, better sleep, stronger muscles and bones, and a more positive perspective on life.
  5. Wash Your Hands Regularly :It’s such a no brainer, and seems obvious, but often times is forgotten. Encourage your kids to get in the habit of washing their hands after coughing, sneezing, petting animals, eating food, using the bathroom, and just regularly. Every time your child touches someone or something they risk spreading germs. 

And of course, if your child comes down with the back to school bug (or runs a fever), keep them home and away from school to protect that bug from spreading. 

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