MultiCare to open Yelm urgent care next month; officials say expanded emergency services remain under review

Mayor Joe DiPano said Yelm will get its first urgent‑care clinic next month and that local leaders are continuing talks with health systems about adding more acute services in the future.

DiPano said he approached MultiCare seeking more medical facilities for Yelm and that the system “has been looking at Yelm” and approved a location; staff told the meeting the new urgent care will open next month. The mayor said MultiCare wants to see how the urgent care performs before committing to a larger off‑campus emergency room similar to facilities in nearby cities.

DiPano described a partnership with the local fire authority, which provided call‑volume data and cost estimates showing how an emergency center in Yelm could reduce transport time and costs. “They gave us all the stats… how much time and money could be saved if there was one in here in Yelm,” DiPano said; he said he forwarded that information to MultiCare for consideration.

Officials cautioned that a full hospital in Yelm is unlikely in the near term and that an off‑campus emergency room would depend on how the urgent care performs and on MultiCare’s planning. County and city leaders said they will continue to pursue additional health‑care options and share data with providers.