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Winston-Salem, NC - With flu cases approaching epidemic levels and a new strain of vaccine resistant flu infecting residents, the emergency department at Forsyth Medical Center as well as Novant Health physician practices throughout the area are seeing a significant increase in patients with respiratory illnesses.

To help handle these cases and provide faster care to patients, Novant Health will extend the hours of its PrimeCare Highland Oaks practice to 11:30 p.m., seven days a week for the next six to eight weeks. The PrimeCare practice normally closes at 7:30 p.m.

"Because of a significant spike in respiratory illnesses, we've extended the hours of our PrimeCare office located closest to Forsyth to help handle the increased number of patients seeking care at the medical center's emergency department," says James Guerrini, M.D., PrimeCare medical director. "Last week there were several days when patient visits to Forsyth's emergency department pushed well over the 300 level with many of those visits related to respiratory illnesses that accompany flu outbreaks. Our Novant physician practices throughout the area are also reporting high occurrences of flu and related respiratory illnesses."

Dr. Guerrini is available today (February 18, 2008) for interviews at the PrimeCare practice, 600 Highland Oaks Drive.