Staying healthy may get a little easier for Lawrence County residents next month.

King's Daughters Medical Center will open two additional family care centers and expand and relocate its Ironton center on Feb. 3.

"This is a pretty big deal for us," Don Fraley, director of outreach services for KDMC, said. "We really take a lot of pride in the community we serve and we are reaching out to the people in Lawrence County."

The Coal Grove Family Care Center will open in the plaza where Tri-State Physicians Network was located at on Marion Pike. The Aid/Kitts Hill Family Care Center will be located on State Route 141, near the fire station.

Also, to accommodate its expansion, the Ironton Family Care Center will relocate from the corner of Seventh and Kemp streets to 419 Vernon St.

Fraley said reaching out to southern Ohio is something the hospital has looked at for awhile.

The centers will provide the same care as a family physician but will be staffed with KDMC personnel, he said.

"(Patients) will find a very caring staff and hospital based service that will provide excellent care and consideration on anything they would need health care for," he said.

Although not equipped for emergency care, the centers will be available to provide urgent care and arrange for transportation to the fully-equipped hospital.

All centers will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, he said.

The Coal Grove office will be staffed with two physicians, two X-ray technicians, one registered nurse, two licensed practitioner nurses and three office coordinators.

Ironton's care center will basically double in size from what it is now and have the same amount of employees as Coal Grove.

The Kitts Hill office will have about half the staff.

Overall, the staff will be comprised of current KDMC employees and, although unsure of an exact number, will create new

job vacancies, Fraley said.

Larry McDaniel, Coal Grove council member and President pro tem, said it should be great for the village and the whole county.

"We need more businesses, especially health care," he said. "If we can keep it in our community it will be a great benefit to the village and the residents."