St. Peter’s Health to Open Seasonal Cold, Cough and Flu Clinic

In response to increasing cold and flu activity in our community, St. Peter’s Health Medical Group (SPHMG) will open a seasonal Cold, Cough and Flu Clinic on Mon., January 14. The clinic will be located at the Medical Group’s North Clinic at 3330 Ptarmagin Lane in Helena. The clinic will be open from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday. Patients can make an appointment by calling 457-4180 or using the online St. Peter’s Health Patient Portal available at www.sphealth.org. 

The clinic will provide care exclusively to community members experiencing flu-like symptoms including cough, fever, runny nose, congestion and sore throat.

According to SPHMG Vice President Brian Lee, “Our goal is to provide easy-to-schedule and convenient care for community members. We know that when you’re feeling ill, even leaving your house is a challenge. We want to minimize the amount of time patients have to spend waiting, whether in a waiting room or to get in to see their provider.”

This is the second year that SPHMG will offer a seasonal Cough, Cold and Flu Clinic. Last year, the clinic saw about 400 patients and was open for approximately one month during the height of the especially severe flu season. According to the latest State of Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services data, there have been 25 confirmed cases of influenza in Lewis and Clark County.

“Although it has been a relatively slow start to flu season this year, we know the data provided is a few weeks behind. Here at St. Peter’s we have are seeing a steady uptick in positive cases and we know that there are a number of other flu-like viruses circulating in the community,” said Dr. Shelly Harkins, St. Peter’s Chief Medical Officer. 

While antibiotics are not effective against viral colds and the flu, St. Peter’s encourages community members to consult with their physician to learn if they may benefit from a course of antiviral medication and discover other over-the-counter and self-care options.