From left to right: Robert Schwartz, professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine, who is providing general University of Miami Medical Group oversight of the clinic; Mara Garcia, ANRP for the employee clinic; Steven Falcone, associate vice president for medical affairs and associate executive dean for practice development; Sebastian the Ibis; William W. O’Neill, executive dean for clinical affairs; and Jennifer Cohen, executive director of health and wellness, celebrate the clinic’s grand opening.

After quietly opening on the seventh floor of the Professional Arts Building last month, the University’s first Healthy ‘Canes Employee Clinic was averaging 30 patients a week, a number that is expected to grow after last week’s official grand opening.

The cost to see the clinic’s nurse practitioner is just $10 for any benefits-eligible University employee, even those on a non-University plan, and walk-ins are welcome, even encouraged.

As William O’Neill, chief medical officer of UHealth, said at the festive April 26 grand opening, complete with an appearance by Sebastian the Ibis, “We’ve got to take care of ourselves first to take care of others, so this is a wonderful opportunity.’’

Steven Falcone, associate vice president for medical affairs and associate executive dean for practice development, noted the clinic offers typical primary care services available at community minute clinics, with the goal of improving “the health and well-being of employees” and their access to health care. For now, the clinic is open Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., but Falcone said the hours will be re-evaluated if patient needs warrant it.

Jennifer Cohen, executive director in benefits administration, said she expects the number of patient visits to increase now that the University is officially promoting the clinic. “We were averaging 30 a week before the grand opening, and that was just by word of mouth,’’ she said.

Cohen and many others in the University community are equally excited about the University’s second employee clinic, slated to open on the Coral Gables campus in August. Mara Garcia, who staffs the medical campus clinic, noted that a number of the patients she’s seen already came from the Gables campus.

Under the leadership of Robert Schwartz, professor and chair of family medicine and community health, Garcia also has access to the Miller School’s 950 clinicians and 19 clinical departments, and can make referrals.

For more information, call the clinic at 305-243-8886.