Retail Clinics

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Problem America spends more money on health care than any other nation in the world. It is surprising to note that despite the amount of money spent on health care, 16.7% of the total population in the nation still remains uninsured. According to World Health Organization reports, ‘America ranks 37 in health system’ (Gardner, 2010). A close look into the issue will reveal the fact that physicians in the US are getting a wage two times higher than those in Europe. In addition, the nation is facing acute shortage of doctors, thus compounding the problem. Probably as a result of these situations, there has been a growth in the number of retail clinics in the nation with the current number being above 1,000. As Kaissi and Zucker (2010) reports, this number is expected to rise to nearly 6,000 soon. These clinics are either independently managed or are in contract with hospitals and staff nursing practitioners instead of physicians. Many people consider these clinics as a boon because of their easy accessibility, less expenditure, and evidence-based care. Many others, especially physician bodies and large hospitals oppose vehemently citing a possible fall in safety and quality, the possibility of the underserved being neglected, the possibility of giving up the medical care received through medical home, (Retail Clinics: Six state approaches to regulation and licensing, California Health Foundation, 2009, p. 1). It includes, as Fairman, Rowe, Hassmiller and Shalala (2011) opine, the possible exploitation by retail clinics for purchase of unwanted medication, and the disputes regarding the ownership of retail clinics due to the differences among the laws of different states. Despite these oppositions, studies have shown that the patie... ... middle of paper ... ... State Health Policy. Retrieved from http://www.ehcca.com/presentations/retailclinic1/witgert_1.pdf ‘Retail Clinics: Six state approaches to regulation and licensing’. (Feb 2009). California Health Foundation, 1-17. Schram, A. P. (2010). Medical home and the nurse practitioner: A policy analysis. Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 6(2), 132-139. Elsevier Science Inc. Turton, H. (Sep-Oct 2010). ‘Have nurse practitioners reached a tipping point? Interview of a panel of NP thought leaders’. Nursing Economics. 28, (5), 347. VandenBranden, S. L. (Dec 2010). ‘The role of the nurse practitioner in the case of children with chronic respiratory disorders’. Pediatric Annals, 39 (12), 800-803. Weinick, R. M., Burns, R. M. & Mehrotra, A. (Sept 2010). ‘Many emergency Department visits could be managed at urgent care centers and retail clinics’. Chevy Chase, 29(9), 1630-37.

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