St. Francis Medical Center will open a second urgent care location in a Shakopee retail district Wednesday, catering to a growing population of workers who prefer quick, unscheduled care options.

The $1.5 million facility, based in Southbridge Crossing off Hwy. 169 and County Road 21, should accommodate between 10,000 and 12,000 patients in its first year. Officials hope the location, nestled near the Savage border, will provide a more accessible daytime clinic that attracts commuters from nearby cities.

"People move around a lot; they're not looking to establish long-term relationships with primary care providers like they have in the past — just an instant quick fix," said Michael Morris, director of business development at St. Francis. "Hospital campuses can be intimidating places for people. It's a little more relaxing for people to come to us, rather than a hospital."

Business is booming in Shakopee these days. Since 2012, the city has created more than 7,000 jobs — one-third of which are Amazon employees at the company's fulfillment center. The influx of workers has increased demand on local health services, growing St. Francis' hospital base by 30 percent between 2015 and 2016, Morris said.

Nowadays, patients often opt for the convenience of urgent care when they come down with an unexpected illness. When a child begins ailing overnight, parents are welcomed with walk-in service. No appointments necessary.

"Most employees cannot afford to take an entire day off to go to the doctor — you'll take an hour, run to the MinuteClinic and come back," said Samantha DiMaggio, Shakopee's economic development coordinator. "Having those services in the area where the jobs are makes sense."

Up to 19 other new urgent care centers will be rolled out across Minnesota by the end of 2017 by the Optum unit of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group, a 20 percent increase in the state from just one provider.

At St. Francis' current urgent care, patients must first go through the emergency room process before being treated. If someone requires an X-ray, for example, that visit may result in two separate bills — one from the clinic and another from the radiology department.

The new location will provide X-rays on-site, along with four regular exam rooms, a procedure room and a full lab. That means patients will receive only one bill but still have access to hospital resources about 5 miles away, should they require them, Morris said.

The Southbridge clinic will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Those hours will supplement evening options at the hospital campus clinic, which operates 5 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and 10 a.m. to midnight on weekends.

For more information, visit stfrancis-shakopee.com/urgentcare.

Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648