Be patient when calling the IHC Salt Lake Clinic

Patients calling the IHC Salt Lake Clinic, 333 S. 900 East, may get a busy signal. But IHC officials hope they'll be patient and keep trying. A phone switch failed Saturday and knocked out the clinic's entire phone system.

US WEST technicians have been at the clinic since the weekend trying to repair the problem. It's not known how long repairs will take.The phone company has distributed some cell phones throughout the clinic and set up a temporary phone line that can handle 40 calls at a time. But the clinic sees more than 1,200 patients every day and the temporary lines are quickly tied up.

Patients calling to schedule an appointment, check test results or talk to a doctor are asked to be patient. Those who are calling about a possible medical emergency should go to the nearest emergency room.