Exer Urgent Care opens first Orange County facility in Huntington Beach [Daily Pilot, Costa Mesa, Calif.]

Oct. 27—Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for Exer Urgent Care 's first Orange County location on Wednesday morning.

Carr certainly hopes she doesn 't have to be back any time soon, but anything is possible with teenage children at home.

"As we know, kids don 't get hurt Monday through Friday, 8 [a.m.] to 5 [p.m.], " Carr said. "As a mom of two teenagers, I can tell you the worst accidents always happen in the evening or on the weekends. To have something like this, that is quick but has emergency doctors on location, that 's going to be huge for our community to have affordable care that 's easily accessible. I 'm grateful that they picked Huntington to be their first location in Orange County."

The Huntington Beach location opened at 7211 Warner Ave., across the street from Ocean View High School. It is the 24th clinic location for Exer, which has been in business since 2012.

Exer chief executive Rob Mahan, originally from San Clemente, said the company plans to open several more locations in the county over the coming months. The first is expected to be in Irvine in December, and a Costa Mesa location is slated to follow, likely in early 2022.

What sets Exer apart is quick, affordable care with emergency room- trained doctors on site, Mahan said. The center offers an on- site pharmacy, an in- house PCR lab featuring next- day COVID- 19 testing results and X- ray services.

Mahan added that the urgent care facility can see approximately 80 % of the patients typically seen in an emergency room.

"If somebody is coming in experiencing chest pain, we actually have a lab test that will confirm whether or not they 're having a heart attack, " he said. "That 's amazing, because the majority of people who come in with chest pain are ultimately having indigestion or experiencing anxiety. You go to the ER, that 's a $25, 000 visit. You come to Exer, that 's something that 's a fraction of that price."

The Huntington Beach location, a converted bank, will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. It accepts most PPO insurance and some HMO and Medicare, as well as payment options for those with minimal or no health insurance.

Dr. Cory Spurlock, Exer Urgent Care chief medical officer, showed a tour of the Surf City facility after Wednesday 's ribbon- cutting ceremony. It includes a clinical area in the front, infusion rooms and several exam rooms. There 's also a kids ' room.

"There will be a TV and typically a kid- friendly movie looping, " he said. "Pre- pandemic, we had some toys and books. Now we 're keeping it a little bit more sterile."

Spurlock, who has been with Exer for four years, said he 's happy about opening the first Orange County location, with more to come.

"It 's a good spot, with a high school across the street, a lot of commerce around, a high- traffic area, " Spurlock said. "It should do well for the community."

Mahan, who now lives in Manhattan Beach, also is pleased with Exer 's first foray into Orange County.

"I think it 's very fitting that Huntington Beach is the first, " he said. "Since I left Orange County, this is probably the area I 've surfed the most."

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