Anyone who experiences a minor injury or other situation that is not life-threatening will soon have a new place to go for treatment.

The DeKalb Clinic is building its Urgent Care Center around the atrium adjacent to the clinic’s main lobby at 217 Franklin St. in DeKalb.

Clinic administrator Stephen Jennetten said the Center will serve anyone, including students, who has a non-life threatening situation or who cannot see a normal physician.

“We think the Urgent Care Center will quickly become an important asset within the community,” Jennetten said.

He said the center should be running within the next few months.

The center will house a full x-ray and medical laboratory. It will be open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We’re always glad to see new medical organizations in the community,” said Rosemary Lane, director of the University Health Services at NIU.

Lane said students can go either to the health services or the Urgent Care Center first, but it saves money for the students if they can be treated by the health services.

But the student’s insurance will usually cover treatment elsewhere if the student gets checked in at the health services first, she said.

The new center will give students more options for care, she said. She said the health services will use the Center as a place to refer students in the evenings.

Lane said that since the Kishwaukee Emergency Center is quite expensive, the new center will save money for the students. She said she hopes the center will result in competition for Kishwaukee.