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The Competition is Heating-Up
Staff Writers
As most doctors, payers, patients and consumers are aware, the retail quick-service medical care concept has found a familiar place in national chains such as Target, Wal-Mart and CVS, where pharmacies and patients already exist, and space is inexpensive and abundant.
These clinics are typically staffed by a nurse practitioner and offer a limited menu of walk-in medical services with co-payments between $10 and $30. And, unlike some physician practices, private pay patients are welcomed too!
Recently, the retail delivery channel achieved a breakthrough of-sorts, when they were endorsed by their former their advisory, the American Medical Association [AMA]. The AMA’s stance against retail clinics eased after it was convinced that they would provide only basic medical services, according to the Convenient Care Association [CCA] adopted national standards.
Today, more than 800 retail clinics are open for business, and analysts predict that 85 percent of the U.S. population will have a clinic within five miles of home in five years. And, the number of retail health clinics is expected to multiply in 2008; as reported by the Washington Times.
Now, as a healthcare executive, administrator or medical provider, have you been positively or negatively impacted by this new medical delivery business model?
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Retail Clinics Help People
Did you know that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has called for the creation of yet another public database that gauges the effectiveness of drugs and health services?
Yep! According to the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, the database could house a credible synthesis of studies which could help minimize the use of questionable services and target services to the patients most likely to benefit.
The report laid out plans for a private or public-private entity that could produce the database, and said a properly-conducted, systematic review should make obvious the gap between what is known about the effectiveness of a particular service and what clinicians and patients want to know.
And so, do we really need to spend more money, time and effort or learn about domestic US healthcare delivery system problems; or should we start providing real solutions like retail health clinics?
Less talk, more action!
-Jake
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Did you know that the popularity of retail health clinics is growing slowly, according to a survey by Deloitte’s Center for Health Solutions?
I bet Jake did!
In an online survey that drew roughly 3,000 responses, about 33 percent of people didn’t like the idea of retail clinics. On a scale of one to 10, with one being “not at all comfortable” and 10 being “completely comfortable,” this group placed themselves at one, two or three, reported the Wall Street Journal.
Only 16 percent, on the other hand, put themselves at eight, nine or 10; while respondents were more comfortable with retail clinics staffed by nurse practitioners if they were told that the nurses were affiliated with a local doctor’s office.
Of course, Wal-Mart is taking the concept a step further as it affiliates with selected hospitals in target market cities. And so, it seems that medicine is evolving from a retail – to wholesale – and back to a retail business model; but now at greatly reduced price points.
Any comments on the evolution; or is it revolution?
-Ann
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Use of Retail Clinics Skyrockets
The use of retail medical clinics is rising swiftly, and a new study finds the clinic users tend to be younger, wealthier, and in better health overall than their peers who went to a physician’s office or an emergency room for care.
Rand Corp. researchers found that the use of retail clinics rose 10-fold between 2007 and 2009, based on a review of data for 13.3 million commercially insured patients younger than 65. During the period studied, 3.8 million members of that population made at least one clinic visit. The researchers’ findings are published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Managed Care.
Source: Joe Carlson, Modern Physician [11/22/11]
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