FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your office hours?
  • Athens and Watkinsville: Monday – Friday 7:30am – 7:30pm, Saturday 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm
  • Madison: Monday – Friday 7:30am -7:00pm, Saturday 9:00am -6:00pm, Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Are you open on the holidays?
  • All Urgent Care of Oconee clinics are closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
What types of injuries do you treat?
  • The Urgent Care of Oconee evaluates and manages all types of injuries including fractures, sprains, lacerations, eye injuries, and strains. We also manage many chronic orthopedic problems and can perform joint injections and joint aspirations.
What types of illnesses do you treat?
  • The Urgent Care of Oconee evaluates and manages a wide a variety of acute illness, such as flu, COVID, strep, mononucleosis, rashes, and many other acute and chronic medical conditions.
When should I go to the emergency room?
  • If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Room.
    • Chest Pain, Sudden dizziness or weakness, sudden blurred vision, numbness in the face, arm or leg, sudden and severe headache, coughing up or vomiting blood, severe burns, seizures.
Do you have an x-ray machine?
  • Yes. The Urgent Care of Oconee has an on-site x-ray machine with state certified radiology technicians.
What kinds of labs to you run in clinic?
  • Urgent Care of Oconee is the only Urgent Care in the area with a state certified, moderate complexity lab on site with a full-time technician. This uniquely allows us to offer advanced point-of-care testing to our patients: Rapid Antigen Flu Tests; Rapid Antigen COVID test; Molecular PCR testing for COVID, Influenza and RSV (40 minute results), and Strep (25 minute results); Complete Blood Count (CBC); and Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP), Pregnancy Tests, EKG, and Uranalysis. We also utilize a PCR molecular culture system that allows for overnight culture results, rather than taking several days.
Does Urgent Care of Oconee perform drug tests?
  • Yes, both rapid and chain of custody
Do you offer Sports Physicals?
  • Yes. They are not covered by insurance. The Urgent Care of Oconee offers sports physicals for the low cost of $50. No appointment necessary.
Do you have immunizations?
  • Yes, The Urgent Care of Oconee offers flu vaccines, tetanus, and many others.
Do you offer Occupational Medicine?
  • Yes. The Urgent Care of Oconee offers customized occupational medicine to meet the business needs of the community.
Do you handle workers comp cases?
  • Yes, with same day service for both acute and chronic problems.
Do you handle Athletic Injuries?
  • Yes. The Urgent Care of Oconee has clinicians with extensive sports medicine and orthopedic training and experience.
What is Regenerative Medicine?
  • Regenerative Medicine is a new way to treat a range of musculoskeletal diseases and conditions, including chronic problems. Urgent Care of Oconee utilizes the latest science and technology to stimulate the healing of ligaments, tendons, cartilage and muscles so that you can get back to painless activity.
What are Biological Treatments?
  • Urgent Care of Oconee offers PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and SCR Treatments. These methods use a person’s own blood or bone marrow to heal the site of an injury.
What is Plasma Rich Platelets?
  • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is concentrated from your own blood, which contains healing factors, such as white blood cells and bioactive proteins, called growth factors and stem cell markers. These cells are vital for tissue regeneration and repair.
How is the PRP Procedure performed?
  • A small amount of blood is taken from the patient and placed into an FDA medically approved container. This sterile disposable container is placed in a specialized centrifuge, for spinning, to separate the whole blood sample into ‘layers’ of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and red blood cells. The PRP layer is aspirated from the red blood cells and is injected or, under sterile conditions, into the localized area of abnormality.
Are Biological Treatments covered by insurance?
  • No, these are not covered by insurance.
What insurances do you accept?
  • Our accepted insurances are listed on our website at (insert web page). This list is not a guarantee of benefits or coverage. Please contact your insurance carrier with specific questions.
What if my insurances is not listed?
  • Urgent Care of Oconee accepts patients without insurance and offers a competitive self-pay fee for a clinic visit. Extra services have additional costs. Self-pay services are paid in full at the visit. Please visit our patient resources tab to see our self-pay fees.
What if I do not have health insurance?
  • Urgent Care of Oconee has agreements with most major health plans. If a patient is not covered by an out of network plan, we offer a competitive self-pay rate for all services and are happy to provide any documentation needed for the patient to file for out of network benefits with their insurance company.
Do you offer payment plans?
  • Yes
What payment methods do you accept?
  • Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Debit card, cash
Can I pay my bill online?
  • Yes.
Do you have a self pay rate?
Are you a VA authorized facility?
  • Yes, we are a VA Authorized Urgent Care Provider

Harry Wingate IV

X-Ray Technician

Harry Wingate IV is a Georgia native, graduating from North Oconee High School in 2007. He served in the Army National Guard for six years and graduated in 2015 from the Athens Technical College Radiography program. Harry loves watching the Georgia Bulldogs with family and friends.

Vanessa Cartwright

Front Desk

Vanessa is from Canton, Georgia. She has lived in Athens for the past eleven years. She is working in her degree in Biology from the University of Georgia. She has six years of experience in customer service. Vanessa loves spending time with her family and spending time outdoors with her two dogs.

Tammy

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Samantha

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Natalie Moseley

PA-C

Natalie is from Springfield, MO, however, she has lived all over the world, including Africa. Natalie made Georgia her home 20 years ago. She earned her undergraduate degree from Georgia College and State University and her Physician Assistant Master’s Degree from the Medical College of Georgia. Natalie previously worked in Orthopedic Surgery Primary Care and Emergency Medicine. Her interests include music, reading, hiking, camping and traveling. Natalie is an avid gardener. She volunteers her time with ACC-SANE, which is an organization that specializes in helping victims of sexual assault.

Michelle Fletcher

Front Desk

Michelle is a Georgia native from McDonough. Michelle began her career as a flight attendant for Delta Airlines before working part time and raising her children. She has served our community through teaching at First Presbyterian Preschool and volunteering at her church and in her children's school.

Kara Whyte

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Kara Whyte is a Physician Assistant certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) since 1994. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wagner College, while concurrently earning her certificate of completion from Bayley Seton Hospital PA program in Staten Island, New York. For the past 25 years, Kara has worked in Family Practice, College Health, Interventional Radiology and Neurosurgery prior to joining the Urgent Care of Oconee. She was raised in Connecticut, went to school in New York and has happily spent her entire career in the south. Kara enjoys time laughing with her husband Brad as they venture into life with two children in college.

Jonathan

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Joe Hwang

PA-C

Joe grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Microbiology with a Minor in Clarinet Performance. Joe earned a Master of Education in Physical Activity and Health. While attending Auburn University, he met his wife, Sarah. Joe worked in three different hospital systems as a medical laboratory scientist, with a focus on hematology and blood banking. In 2016 he moved to Atlanta to attend Mercer University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Public Health and Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies and received the Distinguished Graduate Award for his PA cohort. Joe's current hobby is powerlifting, and he holds over a dozen national records and four world records. His best lift is a 584lb deadlift at 163lb body weight. Joe is a prolific board gamer, with Settlers of Catan and chess intramural championships under his belt. He is also undefeated (3-0) in university talent shows. His favorite book series is the Color series by Ted Dekker. Joe enjoys anything to do with Winshape Camps, mission trips, and working with the children’s ministry at his local church.

Ebony

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Crystal Cotrell

PA-C

Crystal received her Masters Degree of Physician Assistant from Medical College of Georgia. Prior to MCG, she graduated from Lagrange College in Biology as a collegiate athlete playing softball. Crystal's areas of interest are orthopedics and family medicine. She has been practicing medicine for over 14 years. Crystal loves practicing medicine and helping others. She is married to Steve Cotrell, Commerce High School Baseball coach, and they have 4 children. They love to travel and camp as a family.

Chad Hull

Chief Operating Officer

Chad is originally from the Midwest. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Shorter College in Music. Chad went on to earn a Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Prior to working at the Urgent Care of Oconee, he spent time in nephrology and oral surgery and general dentistry. He moved to Athens seven years ago from metro Atlanta, where he lived for nearly 20 years. Chad main interests are reading and the culture of literary as well as cooking.

Ashley Milligan

Front Desk

Ashley is from Madison, Georgia. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She has several years of experience in customer service. Ashley enjoys traveling, hiking, and loving on her dogs in her spare time.

John Campbell

PA-C

John received his master degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Emory University in Atlanta. John became interested in Sports Medicine after suffering a collegiate sports ending knee injury and decided to enter the field of sports medicine. While serving as an athletic trainer for the University of Central Missouri, John graduated with honors receiving a bachelor's degree in fitness/wellness and a masters degree in Sports and Exercise Science. While at Central, he was the head graduate assistant athletic trainer for baseball, wrestling and volleyball and assisted other trainers in football, basketball, track and sports rehabilitation. While at Emory, John was able to work in many different facets of medicine including emergency medicine, pediatrics and orthopedics. John currently volunteers his services to the ARC Disaster Services to help boost efforts to help individuals and families in need of assistance during difficult and trying times. He is a member of the Air National Guard training with a search and rescue medical group in Alabama. John’s areas of interest include family medicine, sports medicine, orthopedic trauma and pediatric care. He and his wife, Ivy, are parents of 2 children, a boy and a girl.

Jeff Chambers

PA-C

Jeff is a Rome, Georgia native who has lived in Oconee area for over 25 years. Jeff is a 1991 graduate of the University of Georgia with a BSeD in Exercise Science/Sports Medicine, a 1998 graduate of the University of Georgia Graduate School with a MeD in Health Promotion, and a 2000 graduate of the Emory University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program with an MMSC. Jeff has worked in both emergency medicine and orthopedics over the past 17 years and holds board certifications in primary care medicine and a certificate of added qualification in general surgery and orthopedic surgery. Jeff’s experience prior to physician assistant school included serving as an athletic trainer for the University of Georgia, the Minnesota Twins and numerous years with local high school athletic teams. Jeff currently serves as a Lt. Col. in the United States Air Force Air National Guard with the 187th Fighter Wing and has extensive medical training in trauma as the executive officer of the Alabama Air National Guard’s CERFP disaster team. Jeff and his wife Jennifer have three boys in the Oconee school system and are proud to be part of the Oconee community.

Dr. Wingate

Harry “Tripp” Wingate, MD, FACEP

Dr. Wingate is a Georgia native who has been a member of the Oconee community for a number of years. Dr. Wingate is a 1984 cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a 1988 graduate of the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine. Dr. Wingate is a 1990 graduate of the Medical College of Georgia Family Practice Residency Program and holds board certifications in both Family Practice and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Wingate has over 25 years of experience in emergency medicine and family practice and is the founder and associate editor of the Journal of Rural Emergency Medicine and past chair of the American College of Emergency Physicians section of rural emergency medicine. Dr. Wingate has held numerous leadership positions in professional organizations nationally and in rural hospitals throughout northeast Georgia. Dr. Wingate and his wife Ann are the parents of ten children, live in Watkinsville and are proud to be part of a vibrant and growing community.