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Drugstore Clinics Widespread, Despite Criticisms: Texas May See More Walk-In Options

Basic healthcare may have just gottenproper standards of care, including
easier, albeit controversially. Thehygiene and safety. "We've got big
number of walk-in clinics at drugstoresproblems in healthcare, and this is not
like Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, and Duanethe answer," said Rick Kellerman,
Reade has been increasing over the lastpresident of the American Academy of
two years, and very little is slowingFamily Physicians.
down plans to add hundreds more acrossMany state officials agree, at least to
the country. Recent studies cite shortera certain extent. The walk-in clinics
waiting periods, lower costs, andare currently being monitored by a
instant prescription fills for theconfusing mix of agencies applying a
clinics, in contrast to more expensivewide and inconsistent range of
and time-consuming trips to doctors'regulations and enforcement principles.
offices. The majority of these clinicsAfter Massachusetts doctors' groups
also accept most health insurance plans,issued loud protests to the proposed
leaving little incentive for on-the-goopening of a MinuteClinic, the Health
Americans to wait days or weeks forDepartment issued guidelines for the
non-specialized appointments instate, calling for the facilities to
conventional offices.clearly specify that they are "limited
The rise in healthcare costs, theservice clinics." The American Medical
decrease in the number able to affordAssociation is pushing for similar
private health insurance, and thenational requirements on the drugstore
inadequate number of primary carefacilities, urging local and federal
physicians across the country have allgovernments to require them to be
been building up to this -- perhaps"well-defined and limited [in] scope."
inevitable -- solution. One can now walkTwo public hearings on the issue are
in to any number of seven hundredscheduled in Massachusetts in September.
clinics located in several nationwideConflicts of interest between the
drug and discount store chains and beclinics and the drugstores cannot be
seen, on average, in under twenty-fiveignored, either. New York state
minutes. While the clinics are notregulators are investigating possible
recommended for anything but basic careinappropriate relationships between drug
-- such as treating a cold, flu, or mildcompanies and medical providers. The
infection -- that's just fine for many,risk, they say, is of healthcare
especially those going back to school,facilities being used improperly to
who are often bombarded by common, acuteincrease business or to funnel patients
illnesses in those first, returninginto their adjacent pharmacies. In
months.certain states, like New York, it is
Texas, a state in which twenty-fivealso necessary for clinics to operate as
percent of the populace is withoutindependent practices or professional
health insurance, may particularly standcorporations; i.e., they must not be a
to benefit from increased healthcarepart of the drugstore chains themselves.
options. A visit to a MinuteClinic, a"If we determine the business
wholly owned subsidiary of CVS Caremark,corporations [like CVS] are practicing
costs an average of eighteen dollarsmedicine, then they are illegally
less than other primary-care clinics,practicing the profession and we have
according to HealthPartners, a Minnesotathe authority to investigate," said
health maintenance organization.Frank Munoz, associate commissioner of
Emergency rooms across Dallas, Houston,the New York State Education
Austin, and the rest of the state areDepartment's Office of Professions.
overloaded with the uninsured seekingDuane Reade, a pharmacy chain located
basic, non-emergency care simply becauseprimarily on the East coast, is
they have nowhere else to go. Offeringattempting to limit possible
easier, cheaper access to basiccomplications by partnering up with
diagnostic care and treatments maywell-known hospitals, such as New York
alleviate some of the burden on bothCity's Beth Israel Medical Center and
individuals and local facilitiesSt. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center.
overwhelmed by too many people and notDuane Reade clinics will be staffed by
enough funding.medical doctors, versus nurse
Twenty percent of people in the Unitedpractitioners or physician assistants,
States have no or inadequate access to aand have admitting privileges to
primary care physician, with fewpartnering facilities. Such agreements
indications that statistic will improvewill give the doctors the ability to
in the near future. In 2004,send those in need of emergency care
seventy-five percent of the counties instraight to the hospital, and streamline
Texas lacked sufficient numbers ofpatients' procedures to see specialists.
primary care physicians to meet localAdditionally, the clinics will function
needs, and twenty-four counties had noneas private medical practices, run by the
at all. Drugstore clinics often employphysicians themselves, who will lease
more cost-effective nurse practitionersthe space from the corporation.
and physician assistants -- healthcareMichael C. Howe, chief executive of
workers with the ability to diagnose andMinuteClinic, which runs over two
treat everyday conditions, but who arehundred clinics nationwide, defends
under the supervision of a licensedCVS's practices as they are, however.
medical doctor. These workers are"We are transparent with regulators," he
growing more and more popular within thesaid, and concerns "are being raised by
industry, partially as a result of thepeople who have not really studied the
shortage of family practitioners.model."
But doctors' groups are protesting, andBeing aware of current events and issues
some with good cause. Many of theseaffecting your health is an important
groups stand to lose substantialpart of taking care of yourself. Minding
business, and are arguing that suchyour health will certainly affect you as
facilities may be unable to provide theyou age, and eventually your wallet.



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