TEMECULA - When Temecula 24hr Urgent Care opens its doors this morning at 8 a.m., it won't close again until Christmas.

Owner Steven Schutz has been working around-the-clock to prepare the facility at 41715 Winchester Road for what he hopes will be an influx of local residents who need emergency services, but don't necessarily need to go to a hospital emergency room.

"I think Temecula has gotten to the point where it has realized that it has to be more self-sufficient when it comes to medical services," Schutz said . "We can't always be dependent on the hospitals that are outside the city and the county. And most importantly, we need to start getting people out of the emergency rooms."

The clinic will be able to treat patients with general illnesses such as sore throats, bronchitis and earaches, bodily injuries such as lacerations requiring stiches, and cyst removals and sprains. Schutz said the facility also will be able to refer patients to specialists for more advanced medical treatment.

The concept of an urgent care facility is not new, especially in the hospital-less city of Temecula. Just across the street from the new clinic is the Aragon Medical Center, which also offers urgent care seven days a week, but has restricted hours of operation.

However, Schutz hopes his clinic will set itself apart in Temecula by offering urgent care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The 7,500-square-foot clinic contains 17 exam rooms, a surgery room, an X-ray room and a lab. Schutz said he will open only half of the available exam rooms at first, and will expand the number of available rooms as needed. The facility is staffed by two physicians, four physician assistants, four nurses and an X-ray technician. Schutz said he will continue to interview prospective practitioners as the clinic grows.

Jacqueline Roberts of Perris was one of the first employees to be hired at the center. Roberts, 18, who will oversee the front desk, said she is excited for the opportunity to work at a medical services facility as she intends to pursue a career in medicine as an emergency medical technician.

"I'm not nervous at all about opening day," she said. "I used to do community service at Inland Valley Medical Center, and I'm excited to keep doing the same type of work here."

Schutz, who lives in Murrieta, said he hopes to fill a need for medical services in Temecula, where a hospital has been planned and approved, but is still trying to clear judicial hurdles and state approvals. The area's health care services are being reviewed by a Regional Medical Facility Task Force made up of municipal, county and hospital representatives. The group is attempting to determine the number of hospital beds needed, to examine how the health care systems and hospitals address the issue of affordable care and to assess the quality of care being offered.

Temecula City Councilman Mike Naggar, who chairs the task force, said that while he hadn't noticed a trend in urgent care clinics opening in Temecula, he is glad to see new options for residents seeking medical services.

"These urgent care facilities offer a double benefit," Naggar said. "They can offer quick service to the patients who go to them, and they free up emergency rooms for patients who truly need to be there."

Schutz said he will offer medical care to both those with and without insurance. He said to get people acquainted with the facility, he will charge $45 for a routine visit. He said he is in negotiations with a variety of insurance companies to have them honor his services. Meanwhile, he said he is accepting them all.

"Hopefully, insurance companies will see the benefit and cost savings of having patients treated here, rather than in an emergency room," he said. "When it is 3 a.m., the last thing you want to worry about is if your insurance will cover a doctor's visit."

While the urgent care facility is opening for business today, the facility will conduct it's ribbon cutting and grand opening on Sept. 7 at which time a community blood drive will be conducted, said his brother, Jason Schutz, who is in charge of marketing and outreach for the clinic.

"We've been spreading the word and the responses have been incredibly positive," said Jason Schutz. "We know that there won't always be people who need urgent care at four in the morning, but we want to make sure the services are there if they are needed. To that one person who is, it could make all the difference."

- Contact staff writer Nicole Sack at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or nsack@californian.com.