It is not quite a case of open all hours, but Balclutha's main general practice service is slowly changing the face of health care in the district.
It is offering patients 12-hour daily care, and at the same time positioning itself as an attractive workplace for GPs to consider.
Two years ago, Clutha Health First was on the brink of collapse.
Now, it has had the equivalent of a full physical checkup, and many recommendations and improvements have been made.
Longtime Balclutha GP Dr Branko Sijnja was right in the middle of the turmoil caused by huge demand for after-hours services, with Clutha Health First attempting to juggle long shifts and find and retain doctors.
In 2006, Dr Sijnja was concerned about the short-term future of GP cover in the area. Nearly two years later, his easy smile suggests things are well.
"There's no doubt it was a desperate situation. We were short of GPs, hospital staff; and there did not seem to be an easy answer.
"To have come up with a formula . . . resolving a lot of those issues is, I think, tremendous for the staff here and the patients, too," Dr Sijnja said.
Under the new system, instead of too few doctors working very long hours; more GPs work four 12-hour days, and then have the next four days off.
Dr Sijnja said it may not work in some areas, but it was proving successful for Clutha Health First.
Between 9am and 5pm daily, three doctors work at Balclutha General Practitioners Ltd's clinic, now owned by Clutha Health Incorporated; and two GPs cover the last four hours, from 5pm to 9pm.
The hospital's medical officer is then paid a fee by the clinic to attend to any emergency callouts through the night.
This has not only meant a culture change for doctors, but for the public, who are used to the traditional 9am to 5pm system.
But eight months after its inception in February, it seems patients have been quick to adapt.
Many are praising the flexible hours and some are taking full advantage of being able to see a doctor after normal work hours or over the weekend.
"We are getting people in who are not used to the idea of being able to see a doctor at 8 o'clock on a Friday night. It's a bit unusual for them, but most are starting to come around to the idea," said Dr Sijnja.
The GPs on deck include full-time staff Dr Sijnja, Dr Abraham Visagie, Drs Claire McAlinden and Ken Granath, and Dr Bob Benzce as full-time locum.
In a perfect world, the practice has five full-time GPs, but tends to operate with four, with all doing a bit extra to handle the load.
Relief comes next week with a new doctor, and another new doctor begins the week after.
Dr Sijnja believes the new extended service offers opportunities for doctors that they do not get anywhere else.
The chance to work in a rural setting, with 12-hour daily care offered and the opportunity to work in adjacent medical wards, was a rare one for medical students and an attractive proposition for many, he said.
"That is a real drawcard, having that kind of set-up, plus the bonus of working four days on and then having four days off."
Dr Sijnja said the Balclutha operation was flexible, and an unusual arrangement for doctors, but it offered a unique working environment that was appealing to many.
Dr Sijnja said the decision to introduce the extended hours was well worth it.
It had provided the public with better services, given doctors a new way of working and created a platform to encourage more doctors to work in the area.
Looking back
An atmosphere of dread and anxiety hung over the Balclutha General Practitioners Ltd in 2006.
The Otago Daily Times revealed the after-hours GP service was on the brink of collapse, with two of the town's four doctors struggling to maintain huge workloads and provide a 24-hour service.
There were fears the community would end up with less than full-time medical cover.
At the time, Dr Visagie was sleeping in the hospital on the nights he was on call, because he lived 15 minutes away from Balclutha.
He was not convinced there was a solution in sight.
But Dr Sijnja remained positive.
How it works now
Balclutha General Practitioners Ltd provides three GPs between 9am and 5pm daily, while two cover the 5pm-9pm shift.
This gives patients access to a doctor for 12 hours every day of the week, including public holidays.
Between 9pm and 9am, the on-duty hospital medical officer handles emergencies.
