To avoid waiting in line on a busy Saturday night, you can call your favorite restaurant and ask for "call-ahead" seating. Now the same convenience is available at Calvert Memorial Hospital's Urgent Care Centers in Dunkirk and Solomons.

Just call 410-394-2800 for Solomons or 410-286-7911 for Dunkirk to put your name down for a call-ahead appointment slot. Same day, call-ahead appointments are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The urgent care centers, a service of Calvert Memorial Hospital, treat adults and children for minor illnesses and injuries when doctors' offices are closed. More serious cases, such as adults with chest or abdominal pain or infants under three months with a fever should go directly to the hospital's emergency department.

Beginning Jan. 22, the centers will also be open earlier during the week. They will operate from 5-10 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon-10 p.m. on weekends. "We've really seen tremendous growth (in the centers) over the past year," said Glenn Heaney, clinical supervisor. "Our goal is to minimize the wait time for patients and make the centers as convenient and pleasant as possible."

Last year 15,084 patients were treated in the urgent care centers, up 11 percent from 2005. Even with the growth, 90 percent of all patients are treated and discharged in a little over 90 minutes. But, Calvert Memorial Hospital wants to do better.

"Patients come to us because they need medical care and they want to feel better quickly," said Amy Grassey, director of physician services for CMH. "Our job is to provide high-quality, after-hours care when their doctor's office is closed."

"We believe these changes will better meet our patient's needs," said CMH President and CEO Jim Xinis, "while still maintaining the quality care and individual attention they have come to expect."

The center also provides X-ray and limited lab services, such as testing for strep throat and urinalysis on site. Major insurance plans and credit cards are accepted. To download directions, see the hospital's website at www.calverthospital.org.