Content about Primary care physician

Who needs the services of community pharmacists and the nurse practitioners who staff retail-based walk-in clinics and ambulatory care centers? Among others, the nearly 67 million Americans underserved by primary care physicians.

Another factor greasing the skids for health system/retail pharmacy/clinic alliances is a clear shift in cultural and societal attitudes. The nation appears to be ready for the integration of retail pharmacies and walk-in ambulatory care centers with hospitals, and the use of those community-based outlets as initial points of contact with health professionals for many health concerns and conditions. 


NEW YORK — Retail-based health clinics are attracting more older patients and delivering more preventive care, particularly flu shots and other vaccinations, according to a new study from the Rand Corp.

Researchers found that visits to retail medical clinics increased four-fold from 2007 to 2009, with the proportion of patients older than 65 years old growing from 8% to 19% of all visits during this period.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic has teamed up with the American Heart Association in a nationwide effort to improve the identification, treatment and management of high blood pressure.

According to the American Heart Association, 1-out-of-3 American adults has high blood pressure or hypertension. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — At the start of the article titled "Retail Clinics and Drug store Medicine" published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, author Christine Cassell, a physician, acknowledges that retail-based clinics have been "criticized in some quarters" but states that, despite this, the clinics have experienced success by patient satisfaction and quality scores. The fact that this message is coming from a physician makes it especially important.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday promised to donate $1 to the American Heart Association, up to $100,000, for each complimentary blood-pressure test conducted in February at a Walgreens pharmacy or Take Care Clinic. The push behind the initiatives is a part of Walgreens' Way to Well Commitment, a four-year, $100 million commitment to disease prevention and to improving everyday health through education and early detection of today’s leading diseases, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

WOONSOCKET, R.I., and COLUMBUS, Ohio — MinuteClinic has entered a clinical affiliation with OhioHealth, a not-for-profit, charitable healthcare organization based in Columbus. MinuteClinic has seven walk-in medical clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores throughout the region.

NEW YORK — The Manhattan Institute has come up with a novel idea to help New York state slash its healthcare costs by a hefty $350 million by 2020: Expand access to retail health clinics.

Sounds simple enough, right? Think again.

NEW YORK Doctors Express, a national urgent care franchise, is looking to become the largest for-profit urgent care franchise with up to 3,000 centers, according to published reports.

"One of the challenges [with health care] is the time it takes to get in to see your primary care physician," which can take up to a month, Doctors Express founder Peter Ross was quoted as saying in an article published on Coloradoan.com.

INDIANAPOLIS Allergy sufferers can save money and receive quality, convenient care by skipping the emergency room and instead visiting a retail-based or urgent-care clinic, according to a recent study.

The study conducted by HealthCore, WellPoint’s outcomes research subsidiary, found that patients can save anywhere from $50 to $400 in out-of-pocket costs per visit by skipping the ER and heading to a retail health- or urgent-care clinic when they are unable to see their primary care physician.

“Moreover, low-cost, convenient clinics offer the best solution for improving access to care for the uninsured, individuals without primary care physicians and workers in need of routine care.” That’s how National Center for Policy Analysis senior fellow Devon Herrick concluded his recent white paper, dated Jan. 14, 2010, “Retail Clinics: Convenient and Affordable Care.”

Hallelujah—someone in Washington finally gets it.