RMC opens Piedmont urgent care

Anniston based Regional Medical Center opened a new urgent care center monday in the city of Piedmont. The Anniston hospital is also scheduled to open their new Roanoke health care center at the end of the month. The two clinics are part of RMC's ongoing efforts to expand its reach and provide more services to the surrounding rural areas while increasing revenue through higher patient counts. Both clinics have been under construction for several months. RMC hired a physician just for the Piedmont clinic, which features a small emergency room to provide treatment for minor injuries. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, 55 of Alabama's 67 counties, including Calhoun County, are considered rural and 44.4 percent of the state's population live in rural areas, which are typically underserved in regard to healthcare. The administration's statistics show that 61 of Alabama's 67 counties, including Calhoun, are short of primary care physicians.