You're sick. They're quick.
That's the big idea behind putting small health clinics inside retail stores ranging from Wal-Mart to H-E-B.
And with more than half of walk-in clinic patients saying they will return again because of extended hours and short wait times, the battle for customers with minor ailments, such as strep throat, earaches and bladder infections, is heating up in Houston.
By year's end, the number of so-called "convenient care" clinics located inside drug stores and supermarkets is set to double in the area.
This week, CVS and Walgreen Co. announced they would each install eight in-store clinics around town by the end of 2007. RediClinic, the Houston-based outfit funded in part by AOL co-founder Steve Case, is adding three more locations inside H-E-B grocery stores by Thanksgiving.
"It's for busy people. We're not here to take the place of a primary-care physician, but sometimes people call a doctor and cannot get in for two or three days. They need fast treatment so they can get back to work," said Marcy Sawyer, manager of Houston operations for CVS's MinuteClinic concept.
The four MinuteClinics that opened in Spring, Pearland and Missouri City this week give the chain 320 locations in 24 states.
How fast is MinuteClinic multiplying? Two months ago there were only 200 locations. Within three months there will be 400 across the U.S.
MinuteClinic CEO Michael Howe can see a time when 2,500 MinuteClinics in CVS stores will blanket the nation.
No appointments
Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott has a similar vision for his stores. Last spring he announced his intention to roll out 2,000 in-store clinics over five to seven years.
Typically, clinics of this sort don't take appointments, stay open late, offer weekend hours and are geared toward sinus infections and pink eye, not broken bones or heart failure. A menu posted in the clinic lists all services and price transparency for those paying in cash.
But it's insurance companies that are driving the expansion of in-store clinics as much as consumer demand.
Two short years ago, most store-based clinics catered to a cash-only crowd. Today, 80 percent of MinuteClinic's visits are from people with health insurance, Howe said.
A recent study by Forrester Research showed only 3 percent of people surveyed have used store-based health clinics, but that group tended to be younger, more affluent and had children.
"Moms want a place to get their kids treatment fast. They don't want to wait around in a doctor's office for something minor," said Sawyer, a nurse practitioner who used to work in private practice.
The clinics in Walgreens, CVS and H-E-B all have contracts with major insurers such as Cigna, Humana, United Healthcare and Aetna. Medicare has also signed on. While the typical walk-in visit runs around $60 out of pocket, those with insurance frequently get a discount. The clinics say they bring affordable care to the uninsured.
Oppostion lines up
But many doctors see drawbacks, even though some medical professionals view the clinics as an essential relief valve on overburdened emergency rooms that end up practicing primary care.
The American Medical Association has sounded the alarm over the cozy nature that exists between some clinics and some insurance companies.
In Minnesota and Alabama, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and other providers lowered — and in some cases waived entirely — copayments for insured workers who sought primary care from a store-based clinic instead of a regular doctor's office. The AMA is lobbying to have that practice outlawed.
The group has also questioned the clinics' underlying business model of using nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe medication. Those prescriptions then get filled just a few feet away at the pharmacy counter.
The AMA calls it a conflict of interest. The industry calls it synergy.
MinuteClinic's Howe says he understands consumers' obsessions with speed and affordablity. (He used to be CEO of Arby's.) Howe also takes issue with critics who imply clinics abuse prescriptions to gin up a store's sales numbers.
"We don't get many complaints — six for every 10,000 visits — and most of those are because the nurse practitioner wouldn't write a prescription," he said, adding MinuteClinic's personnel encourage everybody to get established with a primary care physician in case more complicated health matters arise.
Traditional Urgent Care vs the Retail Clinic
Traditional Urgent or Immediate Care Centers are just as quick, and just as inexpensive, but they have a huge advantage over retail clinics for the consumer because they are staffed by board certified physicians, and have an on site lab, and X-Ray which means they can treat a wider rangle of symptoms much more effectively. remember, there is no substitute for seeing a board ceritfied physician.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Walk in Care Expanding to Airports
Reluctant to deal with the hassles of airport security, sales executive Michael D'Souza generally packs the syringes he needs for his daily medication in a bag that he checks when he travels.
The strategy backfired for the Toronto resident recently when he needed the medication while he was stuck during a four-hour delay at Newark Liberty. D'Souza found new needles when an airport customer service rep told him about a pharmacy that opened late last year in Terminal C.
"I don't think I've ever seen a pharmacy at an airport," he says. "But I thought: What a good idea. People are traveling sick all the time."
Last-Minute Prescriptions
Pharmacies and walk-in health clinics are opening at more airports in the U.S., hoping to capture a sizable portion of travelers and airport employees who want access to basic primary healthcare and to fill their prescriptions at the last minute.
Such facilities are common at large foreign airports, but domestic airports have mostly focused on services that cater to travelers' immediate needs. Several entrepreneurs are betting that there's pent-up demand for such services at airports in the U.S.
While similar to primary care physician offices, walk-in clinics generally focus on a limited range of medical services and medications. Nurse practitioners typically deliver the services.
Harmony Pharmacy, which launched at Newark Liberty late last year, will open another airport shop at the much-anticipated JetBlue Terminal 5 at New York's John F. Kennedy airport in September.
AeroClinic, which runs a walk-in clinic at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, will open its second branch at Philadelphia International in the spring.
Solantic, which operates walk-in clinics at several Wal-Marts, will expand into the airport market by opening at Orlando International later this year. Atlanta-based AirportMD opens its first store in Miami next month, followed by another in Minneapolis in the fall.
"Airports lend themselves as an ideal market for retail-based care because [there are] a lot of people in between flights or who have downtime," says Tine Hansen-Turton, executive director of the Convenient Care Association, a trade group for retail walk-in clinics. "You also have employers who have hours not conducive to going to primary care providers."
Several factors are driving the trend:
Greater marketing emphasis. Airports are increasingly looking for non-aviation revenue to offset discounts and promotions given to airlines to court new flights. As a result, a greater array of services and retail shops that consumers normally don't associate with flying are starting to appear between gates, including health and wellness services.
Longer waiting time. Airports have always been a potentially attractive market, says Rosemary Kelly, marketing executive of AeroClinic. About 1.2 billion people traveled through the top 20 airports last year, not including the 500,000 employees who work there. "It's the largest consumer venue anywhere in the world," she says.
With more stringent security, fliers are arriving earlier, which gives them time to receive basic health services that wouldn't otherwise be feasible.
Growth of the retail clinics industry
Airports are a new market for an already fast-growing industry. According to the Convenient Care Association, there are about 950 clinics in the U.S., and more than 500 more will open by the end of this year. Many of them are at strip malls or in big-box drugstores, but transportation hubs are seen as an attractive growth market, says Hansen-Turton.
Menu Pricing
AeroClinic says its shop at Atlanta Hartsfield focuses on 30 of the most common requests among travelers. They include ear infections, stomachaches, flu shots, antibiotics, asthma inhalers and heart medication. It also offers some preventive care for people who have more time, including diabetes monitoring, cholesterol checking and drug testing.
While they take most insurance policies, including Medicare, a distinct feature of walk-in clinics is the menu pricing rare in other doctors' offices or hospitals. At Solantic, most services fall into one of three categories.
The Level 1 category -- seeing a nurse practitioner and getting a prescription -- costs US$59.
Level 2 service -- more complicated procedures, such as strep tests, EKG (electrocardiogram) or injections -- costs $109.
Level 3 procedures -- such as stitches and X-rays -- are $169.
Harmony Pharmacy has a narrower focus on pharmaceutical products, though it has some basic primary care services delivered by nurse practitioners. It specializes in filling prescriptions and selling sundries and other travel products. It has about 1,100 types of prescription drugs, says Ken Corroon, Harmony's CEO. "People go on vacation, and they forget their heart medication or Viagra. People have varying needs."
The strategy backfired for the Toronto resident recently when he needed the medication while he was stuck during a four-hour delay at Newark Liberty. D'Souza found new needles when an airport customer service rep told him about a pharmacy that opened late last year in Terminal C.
"I don't think I've ever seen a pharmacy at an airport," he says. "But I thought: What a good idea. People are traveling sick all the time."
Last-Minute Prescriptions
Pharmacies and walk-in health clinics are opening at more airports in the U.S., hoping to capture a sizable portion of travelers and airport employees who want access to basic primary healthcare and to fill their prescriptions at the last minute.
Such facilities are common at large foreign airports, but domestic airports have mostly focused on services that cater to travelers' immediate needs. Several entrepreneurs are betting that there's pent-up demand for such services at airports in the U.S.
While similar to primary care physician offices, walk-in clinics generally focus on a limited range of medical services and medications. Nurse practitioners typically deliver the services.
Harmony Pharmacy, which launched at Newark Liberty late last year, will open another airport shop at the much-anticipated JetBlue Terminal 5 at New York's John F. Kennedy airport in September.
AeroClinic, which runs a walk-in clinic at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, will open its second branch at Philadelphia International in the spring.
Solantic, which operates walk-in clinics at several Wal-Marts, will expand into the airport market by opening at Orlando International later this year. Atlanta-based AirportMD opens its first store in Miami next month, followed by another in Minneapolis in the fall.
"Airports lend themselves as an ideal market for retail-based care because [there are] a lot of people in between flights or who have downtime," says Tine Hansen-Turton, executive director of the Convenient Care Association, a trade group for retail walk-in clinics. "You also have employers who have hours not conducive to going to primary care providers."
Several factors are driving the trend:
Greater marketing emphasis. Airports are increasingly looking for non-aviation revenue to offset discounts and promotions given to airlines to court new flights. As a result, a greater array of services and retail shops that consumers normally don't associate with flying are starting to appear between gates, including health and wellness services.
Longer waiting time. Airports have always been a potentially attractive market, says Rosemary Kelly, marketing executive of AeroClinic. About 1.2 billion people traveled through the top 20 airports last year, not including the 500,000 employees who work there. "It's the largest consumer venue anywhere in the world," she says.
With more stringent security, fliers are arriving earlier, which gives them time to receive basic health services that wouldn't otherwise be feasible.
Growth of the retail clinics industry
Airports are a new market for an already fast-growing industry. According to the Convenient Care Association, there are about 950 clinics in the U.S., and more than 500 more will open by the end of this year. Many of them are at strip malls or in big-box drugstores, but transportation hubs are seen as an attractive growth market, says Hansen-Turton.
Menu Pricing
AeroClinic says its shop at Atlanta Hartsfield focuses on 30 of the most common requests among travelers. They include ear infections, stomachaches, flu shots, antibiotics, asthma inhalers and heart medication. It also offers some preventive care for people who have more time, including diabetes monitoring, cholesterol checking and drug testing.
While they take most insurance policies, including Medicare, a distinct feature of walk-in clinics is the menu pricing rare in other doctors' offices or hospitals. At Solantic, most services fall into one of three categories.
The Level 1 category -- seeing a nurse practitioner and getting a prescription -- costs US$59.
Level 2 service -- more complicated procedures, such as strep tests, EKG (electrocardiogram) or injections -- costs $109.
Level 3 procedures -- such as stitches and X-rays -- are $169.
Harmony Pharmacy has a narrower focus on pharmaceutical products, though it has some basic primary care services delivered by nurse practitioners. It specializes in filling prescriptions and selling sundries and other travel products. It has about 1,100 types of prescription drugs, says Ken Corroon, Harmony's CEO. "People go on vacation, and they forget their heart medication or Viagra. People have varying needs."
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Politics and Health Care
Democratic lawmakers in Washington say they're drafting a health care reform bill that would expand coverage for low-income kids. President Bush says he'll veto any such legislation, warning that it would lead the nation "down the path to government-run health care for every American."
Like that would be a bad thing.
What's particularly galling about Bush's position is that it's coming from a man who just underwent a colonoscopy performed at the taxpayer-funded, state-of-the-art medical facility at Camp David by an elite team of doctors from the taxpayer-funded National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
If anyone understands the benefits of government-run health care, it's the president.
But let's not get sidetracked. Bush wasn't being entirely accurate when he derided the notion of government-run health care for every American. That might make for a fine little sound bite, especially among those who fear the specter of "socialized medicine," but it's not really what's at stake.
Rather, advocates of health care reform are seeking government-run insurance for every American, leaving the health care part to those who know best - doctors and nurses.
This is a crucial distinction at a time when 47 million Americans lack medical coverage and, according to researchers at Harvard University, about a third of the $2 trillion spent annually on health care in this country is squandered on bureaucratic overhead.
"Cuba is socialized medicine," observed Dr. Kevin Grumbach, who heads the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UCSF. "The government employs all the physicians and owns all the hospitals. That's not what anyone is talking about for this country."
Rather, the focus here is on two indisputable facts: that the United States spends about twice as much per person on health care as most other industrialized democracies, and that Americans on average do not live as long as people in countries that guarantee medical coverage to their citizens.
"Why have all other countries figured out a way to do this?" Grumbach asked. "Why are we the only ones that are so uncivilized?"
The United States spent an average of $6,102 per person on health care in 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available), according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Canada spent $3,165 per person, France $3,159, Australia $3,120 and Britain a mere $2,508. Life expectancy in the United States was lower than in each of these other countries and infant mortality was higher.
Looking at the numbers another way, the Kaiser Family Foundation determined earlier this year that health care spending accounts for 15.2 percent of the U.S. economy.
By contrast, health care spending represents 9.9 percent of Canada's gross domestic product, 10.4 percent of France's, 9.2 percent of Australia's and just 7.8 percent of Britain's.
And again, the citizens of these countries on average live longer than we do.
In Washington, Democratic lawmakers are crafting legislation to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which subsidizes insurance for low-income kids.
The Senate Finance Committee last week approved a five-year plan to increase funding for the program through a 61-cents-per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax. This would maintain coverage for 6.6 million recipients while adding 3.2 million uninsured kids to the system.
Bush told an audience in Nashville last week that the Senate bill is "the beginning salvo of the encroachment of the federal government on the health care system." He said he'd veto any such legislation making its way to his desk.
That's a fine how-do-you-do for a guy who had five growths removed from his colon on Saturday largely at the government's expense and had them promptly examined by government experts at the government-run National Naval Medical Center.
Happily, the tests showed no sign of cancer. So Bush can rest easy for another few years, thanks to all that government health care.
No one at the White House could be reached to discuss how much the president paid out of his own pocket for the colonoscopy and subsequent testing.
Presidents typically have their own health insurance, although the first-class treatment they receive is largely defrayed by taxpayer funds. In other words, they're prime beneficiaries of government-run health care - just like in Cuba.
In a paper found on the Web site of the Defense Department's Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, former White House physician George Fuller outlines the mission of the taxpayer-funded White House Medical Unit.
He writes that a primary purpose of the group is to provide "confidential, immediate and private access to preventive, routine and urgent care for the principals." This, Fuller adds, "is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week commitment with no exceptions."
The quality of health care is so exacting, he observes, "that the president cannot even ride an elevator in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building without a physician escort."
According to Fuller, the president enjoys the benefits of medical and dental clinics in the White House, as well as "a fully equipped and supplied outpatient clinic" at Camp David, where Bush's colon was explored.
He says the White House Medical Unit also "keeps a unique and extensive library of medical facilities throughout the world" to provide for the president's health care needs during overseas travel.
All in all, Bush is the last person with a right to complain about government-run health care for every American. We should all be so lucky.
Like that would be a bad thing.
What's particularly galling about Bush's position is that it's coming from a man who just underwent a colonoscopy performed at the taxpayer-funded, state-of-the-art medical facility at Camp David by an elite team of doctors from the taxpayer-funded National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
If anyone understands the benefits of government-run health care, it's the president.
But let's not get sidetracked. Bush wasn't being entirely accurate when he derided the notion of government-run health care for every American. That might make for a fine little sound bite, especially among those who fear the specter of "socialized medicine," but it's not really what's at stake.
Rather, advocates of health care reform are seeking government-run insurance for every American, leaving the health care part to those who know best - doctors and nurses.
This is a crucial distinction at a time when 47 million Americans lack medical coverage and, according to researchers at Harvard University, about a third of the $2 trillion spent annually on health care in this country is squandered on bureaucratic overhead.
"Cuba is socialized medicine," observed Dr. Kevin Grumbach, who heads the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UCSF. "The government employs all the physicians and owns all the hospitals. That's not what anyone is talking about for this country."
Rather, the focus here is on two indisputable facts: that the United States spends about twice as much per person on health care as most other industrialized democracies, and that Americans on average do not live as long as people in countries that guarantee medical coverage to their citizens.
"Why have all other countries figured out a way to do this?" Grumbach asked. "Why are we the only ones that are so uncivilized?"
The United States spent an average of $6,102 per person on health care in 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available), according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Canada spent $3,165 per person, France $3,159, Australia $3,120 and Britain a mere $2,508. Life expectancy in the United States was lower than in each of these other countries and infant mortality was higher.
Looking at the numbers another way, the Kaiser Family Foundation determined earlier this year that health care spending accounts for 15.2 percent of the U.S. economy.
By contrast, health care spending represents 9.9 percent of Canada's gross domestic product, 10.4 percent of France's, 9.2 percent of Australia's and just 7.8 percent of Britain's.
And again, the citizens of these countries on average live longer than we do.
In Washington, Democratic lawmakers are crafting legislation to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which subsidizes insurance for low-income kids.
The Senate Finance Committee last week approved a five-year plan to increase funding for the program through a 61-cents-per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax. This would maintain coverage for 6.6 million recipients while adding 3.2 million uninsured kids to the system.
Bush told an audience in Nashville last week that the Senate bill is "the beginning salvo of the encroachment of the federal government on the health care system." He said he'd veto any such legislation making its way to his desk.
That's a fine how-do-you-do for a guy who had five growths removed from his colon on Saturday largely at the government's expense and had them promptly examined by government experts at the government-run National Naval Medical Center.
Happily, the tests showed no sign of cancer. So Bush can rest easy for another few years, thanks to all that government health care.
No one at the White House could be reached to discuss how much the president paid out of his own pocket for the colonoscopy and subsequent testing.
Presidents typically have their own health insurance, although the first-class treatment they receive is largely defrayed by taxpayer funds. In other words, they're prime beneficiaries of government-run health care - just like in Cuba.
In a paper found on the Web site of the Defense Department's Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, former White House physician George Fuller outlines the mission of the taxpayer-funded White House Medical Unit.
He writes that a primary purpose of the group is to provide "confidential, immediate and private access to preventive, routine and urgent care for the principals." This, Fuller adds, "is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week commitment with no exceptions."
The quality of health care is so exacting, he observes, "that the president cannot even ride an elevator in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building without a physician escort."
According to Fuller, the president enjoys the benefits of medical and dental clinics in the White House, as well as "a fully equipped and supplied outpatient clinic" at Camp David, where Bush's colon was explored.
He says the White House Medical Unit also "keeps a unique and extensive library of medical facilities throughout the world" to provide for the president's health care needs during overseas travel.
All in all, Bush is the last person with a right to complain about government-run health care for every American. We should all be so lucky.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Studying Your Urgent Care Options
You're enjoying a weekend getaway and wake up in your hotel room with a sore throat and high fever. You attend an out of town wedding and sprain your ankle on the dance floor. You're about to leave Disney and your child complains of ear pain. Where should you go for treatment?
Urgent care centers deliver ambulatory care in facilities outside of the hospital. They see people on a walk-in basis without an appointment. They are appropriate for people with an injury or illness that requires immediate care but is not necessarily serious enough to warrant an emergency room visit. Urgent care centers are not open 24 hours a day but their hours are more extended than a primary care physician and most have weekends and evenings hours.
Urgent care centers treat many problems generally covered in primary care physician's offices and also offer services that are generally not available such as X-rays. Some have minor trauma rooms to treat lacerations. They cost less than an emergency room visit and usually you can get in and out in less time.
Walk-in clinics, aka retail health clinics, provide a lower level of medical treatment but still may be effective depending on your needs. They are most often found in strip malls, drugstores and mega stores. Although not popular locally yet, Kiplinger reports they will experience brisk growth and expansion over the next few years. Both CVS and Walgreens have purchased retail clinic chains and have placed them in their stores in various parts of the country, and Wal-Mart is contracting with hospitals to open in-store clinics.
Walk-in clinics are generally open seven days a week and don't require an appointment. They are usually staffed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants. You will often find a price board for various services outside the clinic so you know the charges before you are seen. The clinics treat about 25 to 30 common ailments such as cold and flu, sinus, ear and bladder infections, pink eye, allergies, minor burns and rashes, sore throat and sprains. Some provide preventive care such as health screenings and vaccinations.
Clearly, if you are very sick you should see your doctor (if available), or go to an emergency room. Chest pain, abdominal pain, trouble breathing, high fever, deep tissue damage, acute weakness, severe burns and questionable broken bones are just some of the symptoms that probably warrant an emergency room visit. But, if it's less serious you might try an alternative.
Consider your symptoms and organize your medical plan when choosing what type of clinic to go to:
Urgent Care Centers can address more serious issues, have physicians to treat you, and most likely have X-ray facilities.
*Retail health clinics treat a limited number of common conditions.
*Check with your health insurer regarding coverage for urgent care and clinics.
*Clinics will not have your medical history so it is imperative that you can accurately articulate "the highlights" and detail any currently taken medications.
The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes the use of retail clinics as an ongoing source of medical care for children due to the inability to ensure continuity of care.
Urgent care centers deliver ambulatory care in facilities outside of the hospital. They see people on a walk-in basis without an appointment. They are appropriate for people with an injury or illness that requires immediate care but is not necessarily serious enough to warrant an emergency room visit. Urgent care centers are not open 24 hours a day but their hours are more extended than a primary care physician and most have weekends and evenings hours.
Urgent care centers treat many problems generally covered in primary care physician's offices and also offer services that are generally not available such as X-rays. Some have minor trauma rooms to treat lacerations. They cost less than an emergency room visit and usually you can get in and out in less time.
Walk-in clinics, aka retail health clinics, provide a lower level of medical treatment but still may be effective depending on your needs. They are most often found in strip malls, drugstores and mega stores. Although not popular locally yet, Kiplinger reports they will experience brisk growth and expansion over the next few years. Both CVS and Walgreens have purchased retail clinic chains and have placed them in their stores in various parts of the country, and Wal-Mart is contracting with hospitals to open in-store clinics.
Walk-in clinics are generally open seven days a week and don't require an appointment. They are usually staffed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants. You will often find a price board for various services outside the clinic so you know the charges before you are seen. The clinics treat about 25 to 30 common ailments such as cold and flu, sinus, ear and bladder infections, pink eye, allergies, minor burns and rashes, sore throat and sprains. Some provide preventive care such as health screenings and vaccinations.
Clearly, if you are very sick you should see your doctor (if available), or go to an emergency room. Chest pain, abdominal pain, trouble breathing, high fever, deep tissue damage, acute weakness, severe burns and questionable broken bones are just some of the symptoms that probably warrant an emergency room visit. But, if it's less serious you might try an alternative.
Consider your symptoms and organize your medical plan when choosing what type of clinic to go to:
Urgent Care Centers can address more serious issues, have physicians to treat you, and most likely have X-ray facilities.
*Retail health clinics treat a limited number of common conditions.
*Check with your health insurer regarding coverage for urgent care and clinics.
*Clinics will not have your medical history so it is imperative that you can accurately articulate "the highlights" and detail any currently taken medications.
The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes the use of retail clinics as an ongoing source of medical care for children due to the inability to ensure continuity of care.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Urgent Care Centers Popping up in the Midwest
New urgent care centers are popping up across the Midwest, mirroring a national trend and reaffirming patients' growing desire for convenience.
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care opened it's Wheeling, Illinois medical clinic in July or 2007. The aim of urgent care centers like healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care is to quickly treat patients who need immediate care but don't require the level of service provided at an emergency room. They're staffed by board certified physicians as well as other medical professionals. There's no need for an appointment, and most urgent care centers are open on weekends and evenings.
Patients with broken bones and earaches are prime candidates. Urgent care centers don't provide long-term management of chronic diseases, but they frequently have X-ray machines, laboratories and other features not found in most physicians' offices.
With many primary care doctors booking appointments weeks in advance and wait times of several hours at emergency rooms, the demand for urgent care centers is growing, experts said. Many insurers are helping drive the expansion by offering patients lower co-pays if they choose an urgent care center over an emergency room.
Urgent care centers like Healthy Trust, many of which were started by physicians' groups, first sprouted up in the early 1980s. Over the next 15 years, a decline occurred. Some of these centers went bankrupt, others were sold to hospitals and then closed. A resurgence began in the mid-1990s. There are between 12,000 and 20,000 of these centers nationwide, according to a 2004 report by the California Healthcare Foundation. A 2005 report in Emergency Medicine Review estimated as many as two new urgent care facilities open each week.
Dr. Boris Gurevich of Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care points out that several of the urgent care centers locally are within a couple of miles of each other. "The question is how many of these centers will remain self supporting, how many will remain successful?"
Dr. Gurevich believes the centers that survive will provide the services of board certified physicians, and marketing which is directed toward helping the surrounding community get quality health care at an affordable price. he feels that retail clinics staffed by Nurse Practitioners without an onsite lab, and radiology have too narrow a diagnostic scope to survive long term.
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care serves the Chicago North Shore Communities of Lake County, Wheeling, Prospect Heights, Lincolnshire, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Highland Park, Long Grove, Riverwoods, Des Plaines, Palatine, Glenview, Highwood, Northfield, Libertyville, Winnetka, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Mundelein, and Bannockburn.
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care opened it's Wheeling, Illinois medical clinic in July or 2007. The aim of urgent care centers like healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care is to quickly treat patients who need immediate care but don't require the level of service provided at an emergency room. They're staffed by board certified physicians as well as other medical professionals. There's no need for an appointment, and most urgent care centers are open on weekends and evenings.
Patients with broken bones and earaches are prime candidates. Urgent care centers don't provide long-term management of chronic diseases, but they frequently have X-ray machines, laboratories and other features not found in most physicians' offices.
With many primary care doctors booking appointments weeks in advance and wait times of several hours at emergency rooms, the demand for urgent care centers is growing, experts said. Many insurers are helping drive the expansion by offering patients lower co-pays if they choose an urgent care center over an emergency room.
Urgent care centers like Healthy Trust, many of which were started by physicians' groups, first sprouted up in the early 1980s. Over the next 15 years, a decline occurred. Some of these centers went bankrupt, others were sold to hospitals and then closed. A resurgence began in the mid-1990s. There are between 12,000 and 20,000 of these centers nationwide, according to a 2004 report by the California Healthcare Foundation. A 2005 report in Emergency Medicine Review estimated as many as two new urgent care facilities open each week.
Dr. Boris Gurevich of Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care points out that several of the urgent care centers locally are within a couple of miles of each other. "The question is how many of these centers will remain self supporting, how many will remain successful?"
Dr. Gurevich believes the centers that survive will provide the services of board certified physicians, and marketing which is directed toward helping the surrounding community get quality health care at an affordable price. he feels that retail clinics staffed by Nurse Practitioners without an onsite lab, and radiology have too narrow a diagnostic scope to survive long term.
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care serves the Chicago North Shore Communities of Lake County, Wheeling, Prospect Heights, Lincolnshire, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Highland Park, Long Grove, Riverwoods, Des Plaines, Palatine, Glenview, Highwood, Northfield, Libertyville, Winnetka, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Mundelein, and Bannockburn.
Monday, April 21, 2008
ER vs Urgent Care
A headache attack has brought you to the brink of seeking medical treatment. Do you visit the local emergency room (ER) or should you visit an urgent care facility (UC)? According to a recent online survey conducted by the National Headache Foundation (NHF), more sufferers visited an ER; however, headache sufferers might benefit by seeking treatment at a UC facility.
According to the NHF online survey, 68% of survey respondents have visited an emergency room for headache treatment. Forty-five percent of respondents stated that they visited the ER at least one to two times in the last year to treat their condition.
Headache sufferers were asked about the treatments they received in the ER and in the UC. The survey showed the following distinctions: With regard to wait time, 67% waited less than one hour in the UC versus 33% in the ER during that timeframe.
When asked if the medical provider was polite and respectful, 67% responded favorably about the UC compared to 54% about the ER.
Respondents were asked if the diagnosis was clearly explained to them, of which 58% answered positively for the UC and 38% for the ER. As far as whether the treatment they received was effective, 53% responded affirmatively for the UC against 36% for the ER. Fifty-five percent stated that the UC staff provided clear instructions about what to do if the headache returned, countering the 37% for the ER. The survey queried sufferers as to whether they were made to feel like a drug seeker, with 29% stating that they did not feel that way when treated in the UC, while 50% said they did feel that way in the ER. When polled about being placed in a quiet area, 76% said that was the case in the UC, while 60% answered the same for the ER.
In the case of being provided with a home care plan prior to leaving, 43% of survey participants received one from the UC, but only 17% were provided with such a plan from the ER.
When survey respondents were asked about their overall experience, 50% described their level of satisfaction in the UC as very good or good compared with 36% who visited the ER.
“While the ER is familiar to many people, headache sufferers are encouraged to consider their local urgent care facility the next time they require immediate headache treatment,” said Dr. Roger Cady, vice president of the National Headache Foundation.
In cooperation with the Urgent Care Association of America (www.ucaoa.org), a second survey was conducted of healthcare providers about their experiences treating headache patients in an urgent care setting. The results of this survey indicated that sufferers could help their own cause by following the prescribed treatment regimen.
According to this survey, 67% of headache patients have failed to properly use their home plan before seeking assistance at a UC facility, and 59% of those in need of preventive medication are not receiving them. The healthcare providers surveyed indicated that 85% of the people they see have been previously diagnosed by another physician. The most common headache with which patients present in the UC is migraine.
“This data indicates that when a primary physician is not available, an urgent care center provides effective treatment in a sensitive environment for many headache sufferers,” said David Stern, MD, board member, Urgent Care Association of America.
The National Headache Foundation, founded in 1970 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving headache sufferers, their families and the healthcare providers who treat them; promoting research into headache causes and treatments; and educating the public to the fact that headaches are a legitimate biological disease and that sufferers should receive understanding and continuity of care.
According to the NHF online survey, 68% of survey respondents have visited an emergency room for headache treatment. Forty-five percent of respondents stated that they visited the ER at least one to two times in the last year to treat their condition.
Headache sufferers were asked about the treatments they received in the ER and in the UC. The survey showed the following distinctions: With regard to wait time, 67% waited less than one hour in the UC versus 33% in the ER during that timeframe.
When asked if the medical provider was polite and respectful, 67% responded favorably about the UC compared to 54% about the ER.
Respondents were asked if the diagnosis was clearly explained to them, of which 58% answered positively for the UC and 38% for the ER. As far as whether the treatment they received was effective, 53% responded affirmatively for the UC against 36% for the ER. Fifty-five percent stated that the UC staff provided clear instructions about what to do if the headache returned, countering the 37% for the ER. The survey queried sufferers as to whether they were made to feel like a drug seeker, with 29% stating that they did not feel that way when treated in the UC, while 50% said they did feel that way in the ER. When polled about being placed in a quiet area, 76% said that was the case in the UC, while 60% answered the same for the ER.
In the case of being provided with a home care plan prior to leaving, 43% of survey participants received one from the UC, but only 17% were provided with such a plan from the ER.
When survey respondents were asked about their overall experience, 50% described their level of satisfaction in the UC as very good or good compared with 36% who visited the ER.
“While the ER is familiar to many people, headache sufferers are encouraged to consider their local urgent care facility the next time they require immediate headache treatment,” said Dr. Roger Cady, vice president of the National Headache Foundation.
In cooperation with the Urgent Care Association of America (www.ucaoa.org), a second survey was conducted of healthcare providers about their experiences treating headache patients in an urgent care setting. The results of this survey indicated that sufferers could help their own cause by following the prescribed treatment regimen.
According to this survey, 67% of headache patients have failed to properly use their home plan before seeking assistance at a UC facility, and 59% of those in need of preventive medication are not receiving them. The healthcare providers surveyed indicated that 85% of the people they see have been previously diagnosed by another physician. The most common headache with which patients present in the UC is migraine.
“This data indicates that when a primary physician is not available, an urgent care center provides effective treatment in a sensitive environment for many headache sufferers,” said David Stern, MD, board member, Urgent Care Association of America.
The National Headache Foundation, founded in 1970 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving headache sufferers, their families and the healthcare providers who treat them; promoting research into headache causes and treatments; and educating the public to the fact that headaches are a legitimate biological disease and that sufferers should receive understanding and continuity of care.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Urgent Care in the Inland Empire
Becki Genne tried to get her son in to see the pediatrician last week, after the 4-year-old spent several days coughing, sneezing and feverish. But since hundreds of other little kids are also coughing, sneezing and feverish this time of year, Genne couldn't get an appointment.
So, that's how they wound up at FirstCare in Millwood, one of more than a dozen urgent-care centers in eastern Washington and North Idaho.
"His doctor was full, we couldn't get in," says Genne, who was drawing pictures with her son Hunter while waiting to be seen at FirstCare.
Urgent-care centers -- walk-in clinics where you can be treated for a minor injury, sore throat or other nonemergency -- have been around since the 1970s. But they have become increasingly more popular in the last several years.
"It's an extremely rapidly growing niche of health care," says Dr. David Stern, an urgent-care physician in Illinois who serves as communications director for the Urgent Care Association of America. "It is largely driven by the fact that there's large numbers of healthy people out there who want care for acute problems without going to the emergency room."
But the clinics -- despite the word "urgent" in their name -- are not to be used for emergencies.
"If somebody has warning signs of chest pain, abdominal pain, especially if they're sweating or pale, we usually try to make sure they're stable and get them to the hospital emergency room," says Dr. Steve Thomas, medical director for FirstCare.
On a recent day at FirstCare in Millwood, an elderly woman who had fallen and bumped her head was directed to the emergency room at Valley Hospital and Medical Center for further treatment.
"Some people misunderstand the concept of urgent care and think it's an emergency department that just happens to be in your community," Stern says. "If you think you have an emergency, go to the emergency department."
Empire Health Services operates four FirstCare clinics around eastern Washington, employing some 13 physicians, Thomas says. Rockwood Clinic also operates several urgent care centers, as does U.S. HealthWorks. There are several single-office clinics in the area as well.
"I would say, right now, the market is saturated," Thomas says. "But it's good for the patients because, on average, the waiting times won't be as long."
But patients might expect slightly longer waits at urgent care centers in coming weeks. It's prime time for walk-in clinics, with cold and flu season underway.
"It's sort of like summertime at the beach," Stern jokes.
Most urgent care centers see lots of otherwise healthy people who have an acute problem. Once people start developing serious or chronic conditions, they turn to their family physician.
"People who are young and healthy are utilizing it," Stern says. "A lot of people are trying to fit things into the edges of their lives. We're a sort of a drive-through mentality ... Now it's almost to the point where we drive through for health care as well."
Hunter and his mom spent about 45 minutes waiting to be seen by Dr. Susan Ashley.
"I want to look in your ear and see if I see any potatoes in it," Ashley says to Hunter.
While Hunter played with her stethoscope, Ashley told his mom that everything looked fine in his exam. She said to expect it to take 10 or 11 days for the boy to feel back to his old self.
"Let it run its course," she tells Genne.
And with that, Hunter picked out a sticker and he and his mom were on their way.
So, that's how they wound up at FirstCare in Millwood, one of more than a dozen urgent-care centers in eastern Washington and North Idaho.
"His doctor was full, we couldn't get in," says Genne, who was drawing pictures with her son Hunter while waiting to be seen at FirstCare.
Urgent-care centers -- walk-in clinics where you can be treated for a minor injury, sore throat or other nonemergency -- have been around since the 1970s. But they have become increasingly more popular in the last several years.
"It's an extremely rapidly growing niche of health care," says Dr. David Stern, an urgent-care physician in Illinois who serves as communications director for the Urgent Care Association of America. "It is largely driven by the fact that there's large numbers of healthy people out there who want care for acute problems without going to the emergency room."
But the clinics -- despite the word "urgent" in their name -- are not to be used for emergencies.
"If somebody has warning signs of chest pain, abdominal pain, especially if they're sweating or pale, we usually try to make sure they're stable and get them to the hospital emergency room," says Dr. Steve Thomas, medical director for FirstCare.
On a recent day at FirstCare in Millwood, an elderly woman who had fallen and bumped her head was directed to the emergency room at Valley Hospital and Medical Center for further treatment.
"Some people misunderstand the concept of urgent care and think it's an emergency department that just happens to be in your community," Stern says. "If you think you have an emergency, go to the emergency department."
Empire Health Services operates four FirstCare clinics around eastern Washington, employing some 13 physicians, Thomas says. Rockwood Clinic also operates several urgent care centers, as does U.S. HealthWorks. There are several single-office clinics in the area as well.
"I would say, right now, the market is saturated," Thomas says. "But it's good for the patients because, on average, the waiting times won't be as long."
But patients might expect slightly longer waits at urgent care centers in coming weeks. It's prime time for walk-in clinics, with cold and flu season underway.
"It's sort of like summertime at the beach," Stern jokes.
Most urgent care centers see lots of otherwise healthy people who have an acute problem. Once people start developing serious or chronic conditions, they turn to their family physician.
"People who are young and healthy are utilizing it," Stern says. "A lot of people are trying to fit things into the edges of their lives. We're a sort of a drive-through mentality ... Now it's almost to the point where we drive through for health care as well."
Hunter and his mom spent about 45 minutes waiting to be seen by Dr. Susan Ashley.
"I want to look in your ear and see if I see any potatoes in it," Ashley says to Hunter.
While Hunter played with her stethoscope, Ashley told his mom that everything looked fine in his exam. She said to expect it to take 10 or 11 days for the boy to feel back to his old self.
"Let it run its course," she tells Genne.
And with that, Hunter picked out a sticker and he and his mom were on their way.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care in Wheeling, Illinois serves the Chicago North Shore Communities of Lake County, Wheeling, Prospect Heights, Lincolnshire, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Highland Park, Long Grove, Riverwoods, Des Plaines, Palatine, Glenview, Highwood, Northfield, Libertyville, Winnetka, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Mundelein, and Bannockburn.
The large, and modern clinic was opened in July of 2007 and is the culmination of a dream for it's founders Dr. Boris Gurevich, and Dr Leonid Shvartsman who have been practicing medicine on Chicago's North Shore since the late 1970's when they opened their first clinic at California, and Devon in the West Rodger Park community of Chicago.
The new clinic is one of the most modern, and complete medical clinics on Chicago's North Shore. It features an on site laboratory, and radiology department and is staffed with board certified physicians. What that means to the walk in patient is that they can be treated and diagnosed immediately in most cases for a wide variety of ailments unlike retail clinics which do not have diagnostic facilities, and are staffed by Nurse Practitioners.
In addition to providing Immediate Medical Care, the practice also provides primary medical care, internal medicine, family practice, endocrinology, urology, psychiatry, chiropractic, pain management, and physical therapy. The clinic features extended hours, and is open on weekends. They also have plenty of free parking adjacent to the clinic.
Why wait for hours in a crowded emergency room when the physicians at Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care can see you in minutes at a fraction of the cost? No appointments are ever neccesary.
The large, and modern clinic was opened in July of 2007 and is the culmination of a dream for it's founders Dr. Boris Gurevich, and Dr Leonid Shvartsman who have been practicing medicine on Chicago's North Shore since the late 1970's when they opened their first clinic at California, and Devon in the West Rodger Park community of Chicago.
The new clinic is one of the most modern, and complete medical clinics on Chicago's North Shore. It features an on site laboratory, and radiology department and is staffed with board certified physicians. What that means to the walk in patient is that they can be treated and diagnosed immediately in most cases for a wide variety of ailments unlike retail clinics which do not have diagnostic facilities, and are staffed by Nurse Practitioners.
In addition to providing Immediate Medical Care, the practice also provides primary medical care, internal medicine, family practice, endocrinology, urology, psychiatry, chiropractic, pain management, and physical therapy. The clinic features extended hours, and is open on weekends. They also have plenty of free parking adjacent to the clinic.
Why wait for hours in a crowded emergency room when the physicians at Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care can see you in minutes at a fraction of the cost? No appointments are ever neccesary.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Urgent Care in the Aloha State
The founder of an urgent care medical clinic in Kahala says clinics like his are a national trend and you can expect to see more across Hawaii.
Robert Ruggieri spent seven years as an attending physician in the emergency room of The Queen's Medical Center before founding Kahala Urgent across the highway mauka of Kahala Mall.
"I could see there were a lot of patients waiting for long periods of time that could be seen sooner in a clinic such as this," said Ruggieri.
National statistics say people who come to ERs with nonemergency conditions can expect to wait for three to four hours while people with more serious or time-sensitive issues are taken first.
"Many common bumps, bruises, sprains, lacerations that need suturing or stitches can be best served in an urgent care clinic than in an ER," Ruggieri said. "Since I opened May I've seen a lot of people with sinusitis and common colds."
He's also handled more urgent cases at his seven-day clinic, and even referred some to the hospital. But most walk-ins can be handled by him and his five full-time staff members.
Ruggieri says there already are half a dozen clinics in Waikiki, though they cater mainly to visitors, but he expects more urgent care clinics to open in the islands, as is also the case on the Mainland.
Robert Ruggieri spent seven years as an attending physician in the emergency room of The Queen's Medical Center before founding Kahala Urgent across the highway mauka of Kahala Mall.
"I could see there were a lot of patients waiting for long periods of time that could be seen sooner in a clinic such as this," said Ruggieri.
National statistics say people who come to ERs with nonemergency conditions can expect to wait for three to four hours while people with more serious or time-sensitive issues are taken first.
"Many common bumps, bruises, sprains, lacerations that need suturing or stitches can be best served in an urgent care clinic than in an ER," Ruggieri said. "Since I opened May I've seen a lot of people with sinusitis and common colds."
He's also handled more urgent cases at his seven-day clinic, and even referred some to the hospital. But most walk-ins can be handled by him and his five full-time staff members.
Ruggieri says there already are half a dozen clinics in Waikiki, though they cater mainly to visitors, but he expects more urgent care clinics to open in the islands, as is also the case on the Mainland.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Rite Aid Pharmacy Adding Retail Clinics
Camp Hill, Pa.-based Rite Aid Corp. reported total drugstore sales of $2.044 billion, a 50.7 percent increase, for the four weeks ending March 20, 2008, compared with $1.356 billion for the same time period last year. Same-store sales increased 2.6 percent; while pharmacy same-store sales rose 1 percent, and front-end same-store sales increased 5.7 percent. Prescription revenue accounted for 67.6 percent of drugstore sales. In addition, the company announced plans to roll out a pilot program with doctors at Columbia, Md.-based MedStar Health, offering urgent care services in four of its stores, beginning summer 2008. Rite Aid plans to add 12 more urgent care clinics after the pilot program is complete. The doctors will provide specialized urgent care services, in addition to treating minor ailments. Rite Aid operates more than 5,000 stores in 31 states.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Eleven New Urgent Care Clinics Opening in Orlando
Orlando is experiencing a boom in urgent care clinics, with at least 11 new ones opening this year.
Among them:
Florida Hospital's Centra Care will open up to four new clinics, giving it a total of 20 in Central Florida.
Centra Care will hire 25 people to staff the facilities, giving it a total of 450 workers.
America's Urgent Care will open three new clinics, giving it a total of four locally.
The firm bought Pine Castle Walk in Clinic at 5636 Hansel Ave. in Pine Castle on Jan. 1 for an undisclosed amount and is doing $500,000 in renovations to the clinic.
The company is leasing space for another clinic in a new medical office building under construction in Celebration. America's Urgent Care is investing about $1 million in that location, which will open in November. Bush Architecture is designing the buildout. The company is still seeking a site for a fourth clinic somewhere in Orange County.
Minute Clinic this week opened a new Orlando location, its 500th nationwide and 10th in Orlando, with plans to open two more in Orlando this year.
The locations for the two new clinics have yet to be determined, says spokeswoman Jenna Scanlon. Minute Clinics in Orlando are most often located within CVS Pharmacies. Minute Clinic currently has 40 employees in Orlando, and will hire an unspecified number of workers for its new facilities.
The newest entry into the market, the MiniER, opened a 7,250-square-foot clinic at 12301 Lake Underhill Road in east Orlando on March 17 at a cost of just under $1 million. It plans to open another three Central Florida clinics in the next five years.
It's a trend that seems to be picking up steam. Consider: About 15 new clinics opened in Orlando during the past five years, says Dr. Franz Ritucci, president of the Orlando-based American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine.
"It's a growing market because the health care system is fairly broken," says Ritucci, adding that it's tough to get an appointment with a primary care physician, and emergency room wait times are extremely long. Says Ritucci, "It's a high-stakes adventure and investment, and you have to know how to do it right."
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Walk-in clinic administers immediate non - urgent medical care during convenient hours. See our doctors for minor injuries or health problems, such as sprains, cuts, colds, flu's, and for other convenient health care services.
Among them:
Florida Hospital's Centra Care will open up to four new clinics, giving it a total of 20 in Central Florida.
Centra Care will hire 25 people to staff the facilities, giving it a total of 450 workers.
America's Urgent Care will open three new clinics, giving it a total of four locally.
The firm bought Pine Castle Walk in Clinic at 5636 Hansel Ave. in Pine Castle on Jan. 1 for an undisclosed amount and is doing $500,000 in renovations to the clinic.
The company is leasing space for another clinic in a new medical office building under construction in Celebration. America's Urgent Care is investing about $1 million in that location, which will open in November. Bush Architecture is designing the buildout. The company is still seeking a site for a fourth clinic somewhere in Orange County.
Minute Clinic this week opened a new Orlando location, its 500th nationwide and 10th in Orlando, with plans to open two more in Orlando this year.
The locations for the two new clinics have yet to be determined, says spokeswoman Jenna Scanlon. Minute Clinics in Orlando are most often located within CVS Pharmacies. Minute Clinic currently has 40 employees in Orlando, and will hire an unspecified number of workers for its new facilities.
The newest entry into the market, the MiniER, opened a 7,250-square-foot clinic at 12301 Lake Underhill Road in east Orlando on March 17 at a cost of just under $1 million. It plans to open another three Central Florida clinics in the next five years.
It's a trend that seems to be picking up steam. Consider: About 15 new clinics opened in Orlando during the past five years, says Dr. Franz Ritucci, president of the Orlando-based American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine.
"It's a growing market because the health care system is fairly broken," says Ritucci, adding that it's tough to get an appointment with a primary care physician, and emergency room wait times are extremely long. Says Ritucci, "It's a high-stakes adventure and investment, and you have to know how to do it right."
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Walk-in clinic administers immediate non - urgent medical care during convenient hours. See our doctors for minor injuries or health problems, such as sprains, cuts, colds, flu's, and for other convenient health care services.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Medical Marts Retail Clinic's Shutting it's Doors
Another large privately backed clinic operator closed its doors last week, this time Medical Marts. This group distinguished itself by having MDs as the providers in retail clinics in Utah Shopko stores and Illinois Meijer stores rather than Nurse Practitioners, or Medical Assistants.. Signs on the clinics say they are "temporarily" closed.
All phones are busy.
Medical Marts joins a growing list of privately based operators to close their doors, including CheckUps (Wal-Mart stores) and Corner Care Clinic (Medicine Shoppe). The web sites of both operators are still up and still show that all locations are open for business.
One can only imagine what’s going through the minds of retailers across the country who are looking to bring in their own clinic operators. All of these closings have taken place with national retailers, showing that even the most sophisticated are being surprised by the lack of staying power of some clinic operators.
All of which leads to what experts believe are the top three stumbling blocks:
Does the retail clinic business plan build in enough operating capital for at least two years of operating losses?
Does the cash flow plan anticipate major swings in seasonality?
Are average per-patient revenue assumptions based on actual fee schedules negotiated ahead of time with insurance payers or are they mere guesses?
Unfortunately, this probably isn't the end of some shakeout in the retail clinic industry.
2008 will likely see a few more doors closing before things settle into more stability among major retail clinic operators.
The bottom line for all these clinics is they need 25-30 patients per day to reach the break even point. It can take a couple of years or more to build some practices to that point. If the pockets aren't deep enough the clinic is likely to fail.
All phones are busy.
Medical Marts joins a growing list of privately based operators to close their doors, including CheckUps (Wal-Mart stores) and Corner Care Clinic (Medicine Shoppe). The web sites of both operators are still up and still show that all locations are open for business.
One can only imagine what’s going through the minds of retailers across the country who are looking to bring in their own clinic operators. All of these closings have taken place with national retailers, showing that even the most sophisticated are being surprised by the lack of staying power of some clinic operators.
All of which leads to what experts believe are the top three stumbling blocks:
Does the retail clinic business plan build in enough operating capital for at least two years of operating losses?
Does the cash flow plan anticipate major swings in seasonality?
Are average per-patient revenue assumptions based on actual fee schedules negotiated ahead of time with insurance payers or are they mere guesses?
Unfortunately, this probably isn't the end of some shakeout in the retail clinic industry.
2008 will likely see a few more doors closing before things settle into more stability among major retail clinic operators.
The bottom line for all these clinics is they need 25-30 patients per day to reach the break even point. It can take a couple of years or more to build some practices to that point. If the pockets aren't deep enough the clinic is likely to fail.
Wal-Mart Retail Clinics Close up in South East
CheckUps, a start-up operator of walk-in medical clinics, has shut down 23 of the clinics operating in Wal-Mart stores in Florida and three other Southern states.
CheckUps, based in New York, fell behind in paying its nurses and other vendors late last year, apparently running short of cash to meet its bills, according to a lawyer for one of its creditors.
Nurses arriving for work at the clinics on Jan. 18 found them to be closed.
CheckUps stopped paying some of its nurse practitioners in December, and it owes about $108,000 to Medtracker Personnel, said Stephanie Granda, a lawyer for Medtracker Personnel, a Louisiana employment agency that provided nurses to CheckUps clinics.
Wal-Mart said Monday that it was concerned about the impact on clinic customers. “It is obviously not a good thing that CheckUps has decided to close,” said Deisha Galberth, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman.
Starting with three clinics it acquired in Florida, CheckUps added 20 more last year in Wal-Mart stores, expanding to Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
William Armstrong, a spokesman for CheckUps, said Jack Tawil, an entrepreneur who is chief executive of the privately held company, was talking to investors and “evaluating which of the operations in the retail stores they should keep open.”
Industry experts estimate that a company can consume $300,000 to $600,000 to finance a clinic and keep it running until it passes the break-even point of 25 to 30 patients a day and becomes profitable.
Wal-Mart has leased space to about 80 clinics in stores across the country, including the CheckUps clinics now closed. They are all operated by independent firms, including 13 by RediClinics, a unit of Steven Case’s Revolution Health company, and two by hospital companies in Wisconsin and Florida.
While some of the Wal-Mart clinics are headed by doctors, most are run by nurse practitioners who are limited to providing routine medical care like giving flu shots or prescribing drugs for sore throats. Operators say their main clients are mothers with small children, and that about 30 percent do not have a family doctor.
Wal-Mart said it hoped the CheckUps clinics would not stay vacant for long.
“We are working to reopen the clinics as quickly as possible, whether or not they are operated by CheckUps,” Ms. Galberth said. CheckUps still holds leases on the spaces, which are typically near the store entrances, alongside eye-care centers and other convenience tenants that besides paying rent are meant to help Wal-Mart attract customers.
She said Wal-Mart was proceeding with plans to lease space for several hundred clinics in the next two years. Lee Scott, Wal-Mart’s chief executive, said last year that the chain could serve as landlord to as many as 2,000 clinics by 2014.
Mr. Scott said Wal-Mart was looking for more hospital partners to add to the Aurora Health Care system in Wisconsin, which is already operating in seven stores in that state, and the North Broward Hospital District on Florida’s east coast, which plans to open one soon.
Tine Hansen-Turton, the executive director of the Convenient Care Association, a clinics trade group, said Wal-Mart had also been discussing making leasing deals with independent clinic operators that would be affiliated with local and regional hospitals.
CheckUps, based in New York, fell behind in paying its nurses and other vendors late last year, apparently running short of cash to meet its bills, according to a lawyer for one of its creditors.
Nurses arriving for work at the clinics on Jan. 18 found them to be closed.
CheckUps stopped paying some of its nurse practitioners in December, and it owes about $108,000 to Medtracker Personnel, said Stephanie Granda, a lawyer for Medtracker Personnel, a Louisiana employment agency that provided nurses to CheckUps clinics.
Wal-Mart said Monday that it was concerned about the impact on clinic customers. “It is obviously not a good thing that CheckUps has decided to close,” said Deisha Galberth, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman.
Starting with three clinics it acquired in Florida, CheckUps added 20 more last year in Wal-Mart stores, expanding to Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
William Armstrong, a spokesman for CheckUps, said Jack Tawil, an entrepreneur who is chief executive of the privately held company, was talking to investors and “evaluating which of the operations in the retail stores they should keep open.”
Industry experts estimate that a company can consume $300,000 to $600,000 to finance a clinic and keep it running until it passes the break-even point of 25 to 30 patients a day and becomes profitable.
Wal-Mart has leased space to about 80 clinics in stores across the country, including the CheckUps clinics now closed. They are all operated by independent firms, including 13 by RediClinics, a unit of Steven Case’s Revolution Health company, and two by hospital companies in Wisconsin and Florida.
While some of the Wal-Mart clinics are headed by doctors, most are run by nurse practitioners who are limited to providing routine medical care like giving flu shots or prescribing drugs for sore throats. Operators say their main clients are mothers with small children, and that about 30 percent do not have a family doctor.
Wal-Mart said it hoped the CheckUps clinics would not stay vacant for long.
“We are working to reopen the clinics as quickly as possible, whether or not they are operated by CheckUps,” Ms. Galberth said. CheckUps still holds leases on the spaces, which are typically near the store entrances, alongside eye-care centers and other convenience tenants that besides paying rent are meant to help Wal-Mart attract customers.
She said Wal-Mart was proceeding with plans to lease space for several hundred clinics in the next two years. Lee Scott, Wal-Mart’s chief executive, said last year that the chain could serve as landlord to as many as 2,000 clinics by 2014.
Mr. Scott said Wal-Mart was looking for more hospital partners to add to the Aurora Health Care system in Wisconsin, which is already operating in seven stores in that state, and the North Broward Hospital District on Florida’s east coast, which plans to open one soon.
Tine Hansen-Turton, the executive director of the Convenient Care Association, a clinics trade group, said Wal-Mart had also been discussing making leasing deals with independent clinic operators that would be affiliated with local and regional hospitals.
Urgent Care Clinics on the Rise
Patients suffering from small problems - such as a persistent rash - often avoid emergency rooms and instead choose urgent care clinics or retail clinics inside pharmacies.
Figures on the number of urgent care clinics nationwide range from 12,000 to 20,000. Industry observers say after declining during the 1990s, the number of urgent care clinics is growing at about two a week.
In the Triangle, Duke University Medical Center has plans to open urgent care centers in Morrisville and Knightdale. Triangle Orthopaedic Associates is opening two more ortho urgent care centers to add to its Durham location.
Retail clinics, designed to take care of minor illnesses, are springing up even faster. Eight MinuteClinics have opened in the Triangle in the past year in CVS stores, and another five are planned. Other pharmacy chains, including Walgreens, are also warming to the concept.
"Urgent care clinics serve a necessary niche," says Paula Bickley of Raleigh-based Ad Hoc Consulting, which counts urgent care centers as clients.
Many facilities started as nothing more than a physician during evening hours. They have since expanded their menu of services - from providing digital X-rays to re-hydration and even advanced life support to stabilize a sick patient for transport to a hospital emergency department.
RESURGENCE OF URGENT CARE FACILITIES
The urgent care center concept dates to the late 1970s. A California HealthCare Foundation study found that the number of centers declined in the 1990s, mostly because independent clinics got gobbled up by local hospitals. The study said that implementing a hospital-style cost structure made these centers unprofitable - or the hospitals closed the centers down to avoid competition.
Also, in their early years, urgent care centers didn't do a good job of marketing their services, according to the study.
In recent years, entrepreneurs and hospitals have refocused urgent care clinics on providing minimal wait, episodic care for people who cannot see a doctor, don't have one, or become ill outside normal business hours. Many hospitals have embraced the idea of opening urgent care centers to eliminate overcrowding in their own EDs
"Clinics are focusing on the patient experience, offering more customer service training and treating the facilities more like a retail business," says Lou Ellen Horwitz of the Urgent Care Association of America. Horwitz says hospitals such as Duke University Medical Center, which has two urgent care centers in Durham, and Rex Hospitals, which has two centers in Wake County, see these units not only as a way to relieve overcrowding in emergency rooms but as a way to draw patients.
HIGHER TRAFFIC
Dr. Kevin Broyles, medical director for Duke's urgent care clinics, says the clinics helped reduce crowding at the hospital emergency department. "People didn't have access to care in Durham outside normal business hours," says Broyles.
In fact, ED admissions at Duke have been stable at about 58,000 a year since the clinics opened in 1998 and 2002 respectively. The first clinic saw 6,000 visits the first year, and the two are now up to about 70,000 visits a year.
Urgent care centers also see plenty of traffic from patients without family physicians. Ultimately, says Horwitz, the center encourages patients to find a doctor, especially if they suffer from any chronic conditions. "Urgent care should not replace the family physician," Horwitz says.
Yet in a rapidly growing area like the Triangle, where newcomers may not have had time to find a physician, urgent care centers fill the gap.
"We've got frequent flyers,'' says Thomas Haugh, practice administrator for Accent Urgent Care and After Hours Pediatrics, referring to patients who visit frequently.
The company has centers in Cary and Raleigh. Haugh says his staff also sees patients who find visiting a doctor during the daytime too inconvenient. Since 2001, the centers have seen visits increase by close to 10 percent a year.
PEERS AND RIVALS
Convenience is a driving force behind urgent care centers' popularity. Bickley, who helps centers connect with insurers, notes a Center for Studying Health System Change report showed patients wait times, and how quickly lab results were turned around.
Convenience is also the driving force behind the retail clinics that have surfaced nationwide. "Individuals are seeking greater access to health care services with a more patient-centric approach that matches today's busy lifestyle," says Kristen Broom, manager of operations for MinuteClinic. "We meet that demand by offering services seven days a week in convenient locations close to where patients live and work. No appointment is necessary," Administrators of urgent care centers say they are not concerned that retail clinics will take a bite out of their centers' business.
The clinics, frequently found in pharmacies, typically employ just one nurse practitioner and are focused on treating the simplest illnesses - like swimmer's ear, strep throat, pink eye and bladder infections. Anything more complicated is referred out. "We actually get a lot of referrals from them," Haugh notes. "Their protocols (illnesses that will or won't be treated) are pretty stringent.''
The retail clinic administrators agree. "We are not an urgent care center," says Broom. "We don't treat fractures or sprains, abdominal illnesses, lacerations and other conditions treated at urgent care clinics."
"I think the urgent care centers were worried initially, but they've developed positive relationships with the (retail) clinics,'' Bickley says.
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Walk-in clinic administers immediate medical care during convenient hours. See our doctors for minor injuries or health problems, such as sprains, cuts, urinary infections, colds, flu's, and for other convenient health care services.
Healthy Trust Immediate Care Clinic is centrally for Chicago North shore residents located at 342 S. Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling, Illinois.
Our modern facility was opened in in 2007 and is staffed with board certified physicians. We have an on site lab, and x-ray facility which means you don't have to wait for the results of most diagnostic tests.
If you have questions please give us a call at 847-243-0333.
Figures on the number of urgent care clinics nationwide range from 12,000 to 20,000. Industry observers say after declining during the 1990s, the number of urgent care clinics is growing at about two a week.
In the Triangle, Duke University Medical Center has plans to open urgent care centers in Morrisville and Knightdale. Triangle Orthopaedic Associates is opening two more ortho urgent care centers to add to its Durham location.
Retail clinics, designed to take care of minor illnesses, are springing up even faster. Eight MinuteClinics have opened in the Triangle in the past year in CVS stores, and another five are planned. Other pharmacy chains, including Walgreens, are also warming to the concept.
"Urgent care clinics serve a necessary niche," says Paula Bickley of Raleigh-based Ad Hoc Consulting, which counts urgent care centers as clients.
Many facilities started as nothing more than a physician during evening hours. They have since expanded their menu of services - from providing digital X-rays to re-hydration and even advanced life support to stabilize a sick patient for transport to a hospital emergency department.
RESURGENCE OF URGENT CARE FACILITIES
The urgent care center concept dates to the late 1970s. A California HealthCare Foundation study found that the number of centers declined in the 1990s, mostly because independent clinics got gobbled up by local hospitals. The study said that implementing a hospital-style cost structure made these centers unprofitable - or the hospitals closed the centers down to avoid competition.
Also, in their early years, urgent care centers didn't do a good job of marketing their services, according to the study.
In recent years, entrepreneurs and hospitals have refocused urgent care clinics on providing minimal wait, episodic care for people who cannot see a doctor, don't have one, or become ill outside normal business hours. Many hospitals have embraced the idea of opening urgent care centers to eliminate overcrowding in their own EDs
"Clinics are focusing on the patient experience, offering more customer service training and treating the facilities more like a retail business," says Lou Ellen Horwitz of the Urgent Care Association of America. Horwitz says hospitals such as Duke University Medical Center, which has two urgent care centers in Durham, and Rex Hospitals, which has two centers in Wake County, see these units not only as a way to relieve overcrowding in emergency rooms but as a way to draw patients.
HIGHER TRAFFIC
Dr. Kevin Broyles, medical director for Duke's urgent care clinics, says the clinics helped reduce crowding at the hospital emergency department. "People didn't have access to care in Durham outside normal business hours," says Broyles.
In fact, ED admissions at Duke have been stable at about 58,000 a year since the clinics opened in 1998 and 2002 respectively. The first clinic saw 6,000 visits the first year, and the two are now up to about 70,000 visits a year.
Urgent care centers also see plenty of traffic from patients without family physicians. Ultimately, says Horwitz, the center encourages patients to find a doctor, especially if they suffer from any chronic conditions. "Urgent care should not replace the family physician," Horwitz says.
Yet in a rapidly growing area like the Triangle, where newcomers may not have had time to find a physician, urgent care centers fill the gap.
"We've got frequent flyers,'' says Thomas Haugh, practice administrator for Accent Urgent Care and After Hours Pediatrics, referring to patients who visit frequently.
The company has centers in Cary and Raleigh. Haugh says his staff also sees patients who find visiting a doctor during the daytime too inconvenient. Since 2001, the centers have seen visits increase by close to 10 percent a year.
PEERS AND RIVALS
Convenience is a driving force behind urgent care centers' popularity. Bickley, who helps centers connect with insurers, notes a Center for Studying Health System Change report showed patients wait times, and how quickly lab results were turned around.
Convenience is also the driving force behind the retail clinics that have surfaced nationwide. "Individuals are seeking greater access to health care services with a more patient-centric approach that matches today's busy lifestyle," says Kristen Broom, manager of operations for MinuteClinic. "We meet that demand by offering services seven days a week in convenient locations close to where patients live and work. No appointment is necessary," Administrators of urgent care centers say they are not concerned that retail clinics will take a bite out of their centers' business.
The clinics, frequently found in pharmacies, typically employ just one nurse practitioner and are focused on treating the simplest illnesses - like swimmer's ear, strep throat, pink eye and bladder infections. Anything more complicated is referred out. "We actually get a lot of referrals from them," Haugh notes. "Their protocols (illnesses that will or won't be treated) are pretty stringent.''
The retail clinic administrators agree. "We are not an urgent care center," says Broom. "We don't treat fractures or sprains, abdominal illnesses, lacerations and other conditions treated at urgent care clinics."
"I think the urgent care centers were worried initially, but they've developed positive relationships with the (retail) clinics,'' Bickley says.
Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Walk-in clinic administers immediate medical care during convenient hours. See our doctors for minor injuries or health problems, such as sprains, cuts, urinary infections, colds, flu's, and for other convenient health care services.
Healthy Trust Immediate Care Clinic is centrally for Chicago North shore residents located at 342 S. Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling, Illinois.
Our modern facility was opened in in 2007 and is staffed with board certified physicians. We have an on site lab, and x-ray facility which means you don't have to wait for the results of most diagnostic tests.
If you have questions please give us a call at 847-243-0333.
Urgent Health Care Blog Debuts
The Urgent Health Care blog debuts today to highlight news in the Urgent, and Immediate health care clinic fields across the United States.
The blog is sponsored by Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care in Wheeling, Illinois. The Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care clinic is the Chicago's area's newest, and most modern Immediate Health Care Clinic. Healthy Trust serves the Chicago North Shore Communites of Lake County, Wheeling, Prospect Heights, Lincolnshire, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Highland Park, Long Grove, Riverwoods, Des Plaines, Palatine, Libertyville, Glenview, Highwood, Northfield, Libertyville, Winnetka, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Mundelein, and Bannockburn.
The blog is sponsored by Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care in Wheeling, Illinois. The Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care clinic is the Chicago's area's newest, and most modern Immediate Health Care Clinic. Healthy Trust serves the Chicago North Shore Communites of Lake County, Wheeling, Prospect Heights, Lincolnshire, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Highland Park, Long Grove, Riverwoods, Des Plaines, Palatine, Libertyville, Glenview, Highwood, Northfield, Libertyville, Winnetka, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Mundelein, and Bannockburn.
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