Do Retail Health Clinics Offer Quality Care?

Imagine driving home from a long day of work.  Dinner needs to be prepared, the kids' homework needs to be completed, and one of the kids might have symptoms of the flu.  To save time, one stop needs to be made to get everything on the to do list accomplished.  Visiting a retail clinic might be the best option in situations similar to this.  Retail health care clinics have become quite popular over the last few years.  Retail clinics can be defined as health care facilities that are located in retail settings for the convenience of the patient or consumer.  Walmart, Target, and CVS all have retail health care clinics.  Usually these types of health facilities offer care for general ailments, such as the common cold or pink eye.  Although these types of health care settings can prove highly convenient for multitasking moms, on the go business professionals, and individuals who do not have a primary care physician, the quality of retail clinics in comparison to other health care organizations is often questioned.

A recent study was performed by Dr. Ateev Mehrotra.  He analyzed the quality of retail health clinics in relation to other types of health facilities.  His statistical data showed that a majority of retail clinics indeed offer a high standard of quality care to patients.  Mehrotra stated that in his study he found that patients enjoyed the convenience of the clinics and the decrease in costs.  Mehrotra stated that paying for health services at a retail clinic is forty percent less expensive than visiting a primary care physician's office, and eighty percent less expensive than visiting the emergency room.  Many of the patients that Mehrotra interviewed stated that they were content with the quality care of the retail clinics they visited.  However, in spite of Mehrotra's study, some doctors question the aptitude of these facilities, and worry that patients will be misdiagnosed and provided with subpar information in regards to their illness.  These physicians feel as though too many Americans are attempting to replace primary care physician's offices with retail clinics, which is not the role of retail clinics.  Some are concerned that as a result, they will lose business.


The growth of these clinics is quite impressive.  It is important for retail clinics to strive for excellence, especially because of the increasing number of skeptical primary care physicians.  Despite the small size of many retail clinics, they should provide an aesthetic appeal, inviting aroma, friendly staff members, and a very clean and organized appearance.  Patients should feel welcomed and confident in the capable hands of the staff.  Properly training the staff, only hiring the most qualified medical personnel, and requiring employees to adhere to strict guidelines, will ensure that the retail clinics continue providing quality care, and will leave very little room for doubt in the staff's competency.  Retail clinics are in the future of healthcare.  In order to demand respect from other health agencies, they must put forth optimum work and continue to issue quality service.  




Reference: 

West, P. (2009, August 31). Retail medical clinics offer quality care: Study. Retrieved from http://health.usnews.com/health-news/managing-your-healthcare/healthcare/articles/2009/08/31/retail-medical-clinics-offer-quality-care-study