by Sharon Ruth Hil
Several months ago I had my first experience with a Retail Based Medical Clinic, also known as an In Store Health Clinic. I merely popped in CVS to buy a pack of gum, noticed the flu shot sign and followed the directional arrow to the rear of the store where the small clinic area was arranged. The efficiency of registering myself in the computer system and the speed with which I received treatment was very impressive. I did make a mental note that I was just there to get a simple flu shot and not a more complex service. Then I went back to the office and convinced two co-workers to do the same over the course of the remaining workweek. Our employee insurance benefit covered the expense of the flu shot entirely.
Towards the end of last month I came down with the "crud". Since I didn't want to take time off of work I decided I would visit The Little Clinic in Kroger that Saturday. The check-in process wasn't quite as efficient as CVS in that I filled out a paper form prior to being seen by the Nurse Practitioner and when I was seen she keyed in all the information while posing several important questions. At the time we were into flu season full force and there was quite a line, including those sent over by the busy local hospital emergency room. However, the Nurse Practitioner did not let this rattle her and she took here time with me in order to be thorough. I felt "like death" that day but again walked away with a very positive experience.
I began to ponder the whole aspect of these Retail Based Medical Clinics. In their industry they are known as Convenient Care Clinics having their own association with the most stringent healthcare standards. I have done the research and discovered so many interesting facts and benefits pertaining to these clinics and the governing association.
The very effective model for these small clinics, located in busy retail based stores with adjacent pharmacy and usually staffed by a well educated Nurse Practitioner, maximizes efficiency by offering a limited menu of basic services. A typical roster of services includes treatment for flu, pink eye, sore throat, allergies, immunizations, and school physicals. These same services are affordable for self pay individuals and cost between about twenty five percent less than the same service at a physicians office and thirty to eighty percent less than an emergency room or urgent care facility while at the same time taking some of the pressure off of local emergency rooms. Further, most insurance plans are accepted with the standard co-payment.
No appointment necessary for these clinics with many open seven days a week and extended hours available for increased flexibility. Clinics must comply with all state and local health regulations, offer a variety of referrals to other health care providers, and can even forward patient records to the primary physician to be included in the patients file. In the event a Nurse Practitioner require assistance with a diagnosis he or she is in direct phone contact with an on call physician
Make no mistake, Retail Based Medical Clinics is a growth industry of about 1500 clinics in the United States that is here to stay given the convenience, shortage of primary care physicians, and high number of uninsured citizens with limited financial access to health care. I am not alone in reporting a positive experience as some studies gauge the quality of care at about ninety percent.
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